NARTHORON
by F22wannabe
Summary: The M.I.B. suspect an Ethereal has infiltrated the Tendo home. With telepathy and telekinesis at its disposal, it easily persuades some of the Ranma gang to go on a trip...
1. Default Chapter

  
  


Nárthoron

Section 1, version 1.0

"This is a public service announcement, this is only a test."

(green day, "warning")

Disclaimer: This is a fanfic. Events are fictitious, places for the most part too, and I do not own any of the Ranma, M.I.B., X-Com, or any other characters who are copyrighted. 

New characters are mine. Don't steal them. They like it here with me. They trust me. I trust them. They will get very angry if you try to take them away from me. Especially the tall thin one with the staff. 

Events are only meant to be slightly realistic. Reasons behind the events may only approach 'in the realm of possibility' in many cases. Let it also be known that I know practically zilch about Japanese or Chinese customs, languages, or architecture. I do make a decent attempt, or at least I think so. Besides, this is my fanfic. ****

***_You_ have _been_ warned.** * 

Let that serve as a warning. 

Chapter One: "Dying to get a Loan" or "The Beginning of the Beginning."

  
  


Three weeks ago:

Agent Theta of the Japanese M.I.B. wiped his hands of some dirt as the clean-up crew carried off the carcasses of several dead aliens. Thankfully, the aliens had arrived on a secluded beach north of Wakkanai, on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. He took a few minutes to watch the dark ocean roll back and forth on the sand, thinking of how much different life would have been if he had said 'no' to that one question twenty some odd years ago. "Boring," he muttered to himself. He sighed as he looked at the stars above him, still amazed after all these years by their enormity. A black dart briefly blocked one of them. It continued blocking them as he tracked its silent flight across the sky. It disappeared several seconds later, in a sharp descent to the ground. Theta ran to his car and reported in. "H-Q, this is Theta." 

Across the world, in New York city, the twins -as the multi-tentacled extraterrestrials were known- routed his transmission to another operator. While there was a M.I.B. base in Japan, it served merely as a supply depot and barracks. It was simpler to house all of their electronics at one location. Besides, the communications only suffered by a mere one hundred milliseconds, inconsequential by human standards.

"This is H-Q," Agent V responded. She had a fleeting moment to think about the difference in naming strategies each 'bureau' of the M.I.B. had. Europe used numbers, a la 007, America used letters, and Asia used symbols. There was little chance of mistaken identity this way. "What is your problem?"

"I just finished an illegal entry and resisting arrest case. I was about to leave, when I saw a U.F.O. fly over. I'm pretty sure it was humanoid shaped. Any advice?"

"One moment. I'll check the scanner records." Silently, she was wondering how a ship could get past their sensors without signaling some sort of alarm. Her expert hands summoned forth several holographic schematics. She wasn't pleased by what she saw. "Confirmed humanoid. However, indications are not inorganic. So you weren't seeing a ship, you were seeing a-"

"Flying alien," Theta finished. "Cross-reference and tell me what I'm dealing with."

"Can you give me a better description?"

"Looked like a flying human. No wings. No extra appendages as I could see. Less than 2 meters in size. That's all I know."

"Okay." She hurriedly punched the information in. A '99% match' logo accompanied some bright red warning labels and a picture of the matching extraterrestrial. "S*!t." She forwarded the entire communique to Zed. "It appears we are dealing with an Ethereal." No more needed to be said.

"S*!t!" Ethereals were some of the most dangerous creatures in the universe. Period. While not the most physically intimidating species, their muscles were severely atrophied, their minds more then made up for it. Telekinesis and telepathy they excelled at, particularly mind control. The last incident involving them was in '94, when the special combat division of M.I.B., X-Com, wiped out the 'mother brain' on Mars. Without its control, all of the Ethereals on Earth, along with several other species, died. _Or so we thought_, Theta grimaced. "I'm gonna need some help on this one." 

"I've already sent it upstairs. Also, I've alerted Agent Epsilon in Kitami."

"Alright. I'm beginning pursuit." Theta gunned the engine and sped off to were the alien had left his sight.

  
  


"Ethereal?" Zed spat. They were bloody killing machines. He had lost too many good men fighting them off. "I want an X-Com unit sent to Hokkaido, A.S.A.P."

"Why don't you send me and L?" J asked.

"Because," Zed dragged out the word to show J how idiotic that question was, "you'd both get your backsides handed to you, then you'd be walking zombies! This is **not** your average E.T. That bug you killed when you joined up has nothing on an Ethereal!"

"Jeez! Lay off the lecture. It's bad for the blood pressure."

Agent L spoke up. "Perhaps J is right though. Won't an X-Com unit draw a lot of attention?"

"This is an instance where I **don't** care about drawing attention," Zed replied. "Every minute we delay, is a minute for that..thing..to take over some poor sap's mind and have him kill twenty people!"

"These things can take over your mind?" J asked, suddenly not too sure about the situation, though he didn't show it.

"Quick as ever, I see," Zed sighed. Why didn't this kid ever bother to read the manual?

"The computer says it may also be a Floater, although no metal for the surgically implanted gravity repulsion device was detected," L noted.

"I wish it was a mis-reading," Zed commented. "But it isn't. I'm gonna have that thing taken down hard." He pushed a button on his desk. "Tell the X-Com squad in India base to high-tail it to Japan." 

"Isn't there a closer X-Com base?" J asked.

"We only have five squads in the entire world," L answered. "Since the repulsion of their invasion attempt in '94, we haven't needed X-Com as much. They were scaled down considerably."

  
  


Agent Theta stood in the middle of a forest, where the Ethereal was last noted by the orbital scans. Because their make up was close to human, and due to interference from plants, topography, etc., those scans were now useless. Aligning himself with its last known direction of travel, Theta noted darkly that it was headed directly for the city proper of Wakkanai. He radioed that information to HQ as he sat back down in the driver seat.

  
  


Dr. Theodore Diggers was sleeping rather comfortably at the moment, inside one of the nicer hotels in Wakkanai. Tomorrow was the start of the yearly mage conference, the first in a decade to be on Earth. Why they had chosen a city in Japan, he didn't know. Usually they were held in old ruins or gigantic halls built specifically for the purpose. His sleep was disturbed as the window on the opposite side of the room opened. By itself, he noticed. Preparing himself for the worst, he created a ball of white hot magic death in each hand. The cloaked figure flew slowly through the now open window and stood quietly in front of the wizard. 

_He dresses like Death_, the good doctor observed. _Without the scythe, anyway_. The window shut itself. _He's doing that without any magic!_ _I haven't dealt with a telekinesist in years._

"Greetings," a level, unemphatic voice rasped.

"What do you want?" Diggers demanded.

"Your skills," it answered coldly.

  
  


"It's gone pal," the X-Com commander told Agent Theta. "We'll patrol the area from above, and see if anything comes up on our psy-scanners. Ethereals pump out egregious amounts of mental energy when they try to cause trouble."

"So we have to wait until it does something?" 

"That's the gist of it. I thought we had sent all those buggers to the next life, but I guess we missed one."

"But why Japan? And why did it wait so long?" Theta mused for both of them. 

  
  


Present: 

Soun sat at the table reading the newspaper, skimming over most of the stories in disinterest. His eyes were halted when they came across the words "U.S. Ambassador to Japan Dead." The article went on to say foul play was suspected, though he may have just slipped and tumbled down the stairs of his home. Soun looked up for a moment, wondering how the assassination of a U.S. ambassador would affect his life. A moment of deep thought later, he found none and continued his skimming, missing a small article at the bottom of page eleven. 

This one was much shorter than the ambassador one, and of much less importance to the welfare of Japan. "Girl Abducted in Nagoya," it read, and gave a few details on when she disappeared. It continued on to describe the girl as being sixteen years old, mid-back length brown hair, standing approximately one point six meters in height, with light brown eyes. "The parents of Misa Kishiro are offering a 35,000 yen reward for any information leading to the return of their daughter and the arrest of her captors. If you have any information, please contact the Nagoya police at..." 

__

_Seems I am too late in getting to her_, a young woman thought as she read her copy of the paper. She was sitting on a train bound for Nagoya, surrounded by business men and women and the odd tourist doing the same. _I guess I'll just have to move on to my next objective, _she smirked. _Only two left anyways_. _Then our vengeance shall be complete..._ She patted her black briefcase in a most affectionate manner. 

Dawn, two days later:

The rain beat down upon the road, transforming a dry country road into a slick muddy slope. Brown water pooled in the rapidly forming potholes, thousands of tiny splishes marking the addition of yet more water. Intelligent animals hid from the weather, huddling in the warmth of their burrows, or under a large fir tree, occasionally in the tree, as birds were apt to do. Two travelers braved this scene of saturation, slowly and carefully walking along, though mostly through, the sticky mud that had been a road.

Neither of these travelers was remarkable from a distance. One was a tall figure, moving gingerly with a large wooden staff, the other was a short red bundle, huddling under a matching red umbrella. As they grow nearer, details begin to stand out. The tall one wore a great gray-brown cloak much too large for his body, for its bottom was already thoroughly caked in mud. Its wearer payed the state of his clothing no mind, seemingly more concerned where his staff would be placed. A large hood cast a deep shadow over his face, hiding all of his facial features. 

The staff, held tightly with a gloved hand, was unremarkable in its wood, possibly Oak, drawing all attention to the massive ornament atop it. An intricate half Jade, half Ivory dragon's head grew out of that pale wood, its ruby eyes scanning all, as if silently judging it. The dragon's mouth yawned open, until its four ivory fangs could encompass a large blue orb, the rain adding to its radiance. It too seemed to watch the world passing around it, with subtle reflections lending it an ominous dread. 

The red figure behind this man walked with an absent minded gait, attention drawn to the darkened landscape instead of the road. The crimson raincoat draped loosely over a distinctly female form, her red plastic hood covering her face in a similar fashion to her escort, but it was not nearly as dark, and allowed her bored features to show. She was young of face, with a childish glow that bespoke her kind, if naive, nature. 

"How much further?" the girl asked the man in front of her. She was getting tired from all the walking, and her arm protested the abuse of holding her umbrella up.

"Not much," the robed man answered. His voice was weary and strained, like that of a sickly old man, lacking the vigor of the pace he set. 

An hour later, they neared an abandoned home along the desolate highway they traveled. Deciding she truly needed a rest, he told the girl they would stop there for the day.

The home used to be a light brown, but years of neglect had all but stripped the paint, leaving slowly rotting wood behind. The front windows had large, gnarly boards nailed over them. One on the far right swung gently in the light wind, tapping methodically against the sideboards. The front door, amazingly still pristine white, had not been entered in over twenty years. Strangely, the lack of maintenance did not keep it from opening easily. Together, the pair entered the home, giving it one last day to claim that title. 

Inside, the girl hung up her damp clothes and changed into her only other pair, munching on a few granola bars the whole time. The man removed his great cloak and laid it down on the dirty living room floor, opening it so the dry insides faced the yellow-white ceiling. His inner-dress was another cloak, a marvelous dark purple, nearly black in its coloring. Its hood cast as deep a shadow as the other, keeping his face from view. Sitting upon the cloak covered floor, he assumed a lotus position, and placed his large staff across his lap, with its Jade dragon head facing the door they had come in. The jewel in the mouth of the dragon glinted, as if daring anyone to try and enter the door. The girl, obviously a teenager and a late bloomer, sat next to him on the great expanse of cloth, taking great care not to sit by the mud-encaked bottom, or to get too close to him. She knew he disliked physical contact. 

"Why do we hafta travel at night?" she asked. It was hard to sleep during the day.

"To avoid...attention," he answered, focusing on his breathing more than the conversation. "You know...that as well...as I do," his voice held no tone in it, not even as he reprimanded the girl, it merely stated what he held as fact.

"But it's so much easier to travel during the day, don't you agree?" She looked directly into the recess of that hood, never making eye contact, but getting an effect close enough to it.

"Yes." His head tilted down to look at her before he continued. "That necklace...you wear...remember...what it stands... for and try..to get..some sleep."

Her eyes dropped as she felt that necklace around her throat, its large gold medallion shining in the dim light let through by the curtained windows. She had often looked at it before, feeling its heavy weight in her hands, watching how its many jewels reflected the sunlight. It was bent into a subtle wave pattern which matched the curves of her lower neck as if designed for her. Three amber arrows, lined up in a triangle pointing upwards, were placed in the lower corners and upper middle of the rectangular plate, and connected by thin lines of silver. Inside of that circle was a thin line of platinum, circling a large faceted piece of amber. A simple gold chain attached to the upper corners of the medallion to hold it snugly in place, just shy of being a second skin. 

She had never looked at it with any sense of sorrow, or of honor, her mind was too young to comprehend those things. That is not to say she didn't try to think of them, or that she was ignorant of her jewel's history. She merely did not understand the depth with which the ornament in her hands portrayed them. She was learning quickly however. She turned her eyes away from the man's gaze, she couldn't see his eyes upon her, only feel them taking in every detail about her, even as her own eyes teared up. "Okay brother. Good night." She slipped out of the room to find some place to lie down.

"Good morning...Misa," he corrected the now empty room

***

"Ready to go sir?" the private, first class, asked the door to his Sergeant's house. His jeep was idling on the street behind him.

A large man, nearly one point nine meters tall, finished lacing up his boots and grabbed a large duffel bag next to him. His forty-nine centimeter biceps easily lifted the full bag, while his other hand adjusted his cover.(1) He exited the building, paying no attention to the private, and threw the green luggage into the back of the jeep. "Close the door," he barked, and climbed into the passenger seat.

"Uh, yes Sir!" The private shut the door and hurried over to the jeep.

"We'll need to make a stop along the way."

  
  


The Tendo dojo was not a quiet place in the morning. Fighting, arguing, mayhem, these were the mornings at the Tendo dojo. Usually. Today was unnervingly quiet. Genma and Nodoka were gone, not unusual considering they lived in a different house. Ryoga was missing, everybody knew why, and again no one cared. Shampoo, Mousse, Cologne, and Ukyo weren't there, and everybody was silently rejoicing. It's best not to think about where Happosai was. It was just a nice calm morning, everybody beginning their morning routines, except for Kasumi, who had long been in the kitchen making breakfast. The good times even lasted through breakfast, Akane and Ranma being civil, Soun reading his paper, and Nabiki typing away on her new laptop. For once, maybe Nerima would be a normal suburb, with normal going ons. 

The Sergeant ordered the private to pull over in front of the Tendo dojo. Lifting himself out of the vehicle, which was entirely too small for his tastes, he stiffly marched on to the property. Raising his massive hand, he knocked on the door, nearly shaking loose the hinges. A scowl marked his face, not even lifting for Kasumi's gentle welcome. He just asked her four words, "is Nabiki Tendo here?", in a deep, commanding voice, like all stereotypical Sergeants were supposed to have.

"Yes, she is. Please come in," Kasumi motioned for him to follow her. She frowned slightly when he didn't take his boots off. She knew they were clean, the black leather shined better than her mirrors, but it wasn't proper. She stopped to reprimand him- a harsh thing for Kasumi even to think of doing -let alone actually do, when he gave her a look. One of those evil, no hidden meaning, get out of my way, looks. She promptly turned around and led him to where everybody was eating, telling herself to never allow him into her home again.

The Sergeant didn't like intimidating civilians, especially this one for some reason, but he didn't want to stay here longer than necessary. He hated the entire idea of being around them, lives full of chaos and disorder, and he really despised what he was here to do. He had meant to do it for five years, had promised he would do it, but he still didn't like it. Seeing the people gathered around the table, he spoke again, letting all of his resentment show. "Which one of you is Nabiki Tendo?"

Nabiki of course, went into shock, so much so that it actually showed. Here she was, eating breakfast, and now she was confronted by a man, a large, very, very muscled man, who was obviously unhappy. She noticed his anger increase when she responded in the affirmative, paying special attention to the straining of his uniform as his biceps tensed up.

"Someone wanted you to have this," he spat, and threw a small box onto the table in front of her. He quickly turned and stomped out of the room. He muttered a curse to himself as he told the private to get going._ Now I can get on with my life! _Something in his gut turned at the thought. His life had never been that simplistic.

  
  


"That was weird," Akane observed wittily.

"Impressive muscles," Ranma remarked, wondering how the man would fare against Ryoga. "So what is in the box?" Soun asked.

"I don't know," Nabiki answered. "Shall we find out?" She flipped open the lid on the black felt box. "Holy..."

"Wow," Akane said. "That's quite a ring."

"I'll say." Nabiki gingerly pulled the gold ring out of the box, her eye critically analyzing the inset gems for authenticity. 

The gold was twenty four karat, she could tell that right off. The dual bands of platinum tracing around the ring seemed pure too. The top was oval shaped, the platinum tracing the outer edges, with several differing stones inset on it. The largest was an oval stone, dark blue with white streaks like lightning. Rotating it in the light, the streaks rippled and shifted, quickly dismissed as an interesting optical illusion. Centered in that stone was a light blue crystal, a type of which Nabiki had never seen. It would be completely transparent, if not for its coloring. Finally, four tiny ruby triangles were set around this center stone in an 'X' pattern. 

"Impressive hand trophy," was all Nabiki could say.

"Wonder why he gave it to some one like you," Ranma thought out loud.

"That'll cost you," Nabiki replied, never lifting her gaze from the ring. She flipped it over to see if there were any inscriptions. Underneath the top of the ring, there was an infinity symbol next to a heart. _How cliche_, Nabiki thought. _Never-ending love. Way too sentimental_. Finding no more symbols, she slipped the ring on her finger. "A bit tight," she grunted as it slid on. "Not a bad fit though."

"Can I try it on?" Akane asked. 

"I guess so," Nabiki said, "but it'll cost ya."

"Never mind then," Akane huffed; she was broke. "We better get going to school."

"Can I see that ring for a sec?" Ranma asked.

"Taking an interest in jewelry Ranma? Isn't that a little feminine?" Nabiki teased.

"No! Well, yes, but...What I mean is..uh.. I think I've seen that ring before."

"Really?" Nabiki asked in a tone that said she didn't believe him.

"We were traveling in northern Japan, what? Six years ago? On some island above Hokkaido, when we came upon this village. I wound up talking to some old guy, and he told me of this other guy, a supposed practitioner of a martial art known as the Invisible Fist, or lightning fist, or some crap like that. Anyways, so I tell pops about him, and we ask around. Sometime later we found the guy meditating on a stump in the forest. He was only sixteen or seventeen, which kind of surprised us both. We waited two hours for him to finish."

"And?" Akane prodded.

"Well, pops never was very patient, so he poked the guy, ya know, trying to get his attention. He just sat there. Pops keeps doing more and more things, trying to break this guy out of his meditation. Nothing works, so then pops tries to hit'im."

"And what were you doing the whole time that was going on?" Nabiki asked.

"Just staring at this weird ring on his left hand. I'm certain that it looked exactly like the one you're wearing now."

"So what happened when your dad hit him?" Akane asked, trying to get the story back on track.

"He never even got close. By the time he started his punch he was giving new meaning to the word 'tree-hugger,'" Ranma laughed. "And just like the old guy said, I couldn't see his hands move. I asked him to train me, but he just said no and walked off. We never saw him again."

"Now the question is, why do you have that guy's ring?" Akane asked Nabiki.

"Maybe he's one of my countless admirers?" Nabiki suggested. Akane and Ranma gave her a flat look. "It was just an idea."

"Whatever," Akane and Ranma said simultaneously.

"Remember that you are representing us over there," the JSDF colonel told the captain.

"Will do sir. I'll report to you as soon as we get back next week sir."

"Very good. You better get to your plane. Dismissed." They exchanged salutes and the captain left. "Is there anyone else left on my schedule?" the Colonel asked his aide over the intercom.

"Not for another hour sir. However, there is a lieutenant who wishes to speak to you. She showed up a few minutes ago. Shall I send her in?"

"Might as well," the colonel answered. "It's either her or paperwork, and you know how I my feelings about that."

A moment later, his door opened. "Good morning, sir," she said, saluting crisply.

"Good morning lieutenant...?"

"Kishiro, sir," she smiled, closing the door behind her. She brushed a stray strand of black hair out of her eyes as she sat down.

"And what brings you to my office?" the colonel inquired, looking the lieutenant over. She had a very athletic build, fitting her uniform nicely. A flash in the flourescent lights of his office brought his attention to her wrist, specifically to the bracelet she wore. He was unable to get a decent look at it as she straightened out her skirt. Breaking his stare, he didn't want his career ended by a woman thinking he was ogling her, he returned his moss green eyes back to the lieutenants face. She was pretty, in a rugged way, with sharp lines forming an ever present frown. He offered her a cigar, which she refused. With a shrug he lit his up, relaxing in his plush chair.

"I need to talk to you sir," she responded, giving a quirky little smile. 

***

"You look tired Sergeant," the captain said as their plane took off.

"No sir, just had a light workout sir," the man answered with a hard gaze that always rubbed the captain the wrong way. 

"Is that so? Why didn't you clean up before the flight?" 

"Well sir, I went on a minor excursion into town, doing a family friend a favor, and the jeep broke down on the way back. I had to run all the way back. I had five minutes to take a bath or arrive here on time, so I chose to come here, sir."

"Why didn't you radio for a tow truck?"

"Didn't have one sir. The unit usually inside the jeep was broken, and the private forgot to bring a spare. We hauled it back ourselves."

"How far were you from the base?"

"Roughly ten kilometers sir. We broke down on that hill near the highway."

"And you pulled the jeep back?" the captain asked, genuinely surprised.

"Would have been easier if he hadn't left the damn parking break on after getting out to check the engine, sir." The captain face-faulted. "We figured that out after the first three kilometers. The rest was a cake walk sir."

"Ooookay. Good job then Watanabe. Next time, stop at a store and phone for help."

"Of course sir."

***

"So what do you wish to talk about?" The colonel asked.

"You ever hear of the Firebird project?"

The colonel grimaced slightly, but was quick to revert back to his casual demeanor. "No."

"You're certain sir?" Kishiro seemed disappointed. 

"Yes."

"Very well then," she sighed, "sorry I bothered you." Kishiro stood up, adjusting her uniform. "Oh, one last thing, sir."

"What?" he asked, releasing a large puff of smoke.

"Smoking is a nasty habit." Kishiro's foot lashed out, clearing his oak desk and ramming the cigar down the colonel's throat, where it lodged itself tightly.

The colonel thrashed about, grabbing at his throat, desperately trying to dislodge the still burning tobacco. His body futilely tried throwing up to remove it, but it only added to the clog. Kishiro watched with a dark smile, then rushed to the colonel's side. 

"Are you alright?" she asked, acting concerned in rather convincing manner. "I need some help in here!" she hollered, stepping behind the colonel and performing thrusts like the heimlich. In actuality, she was further disrupting his attempts to breathe, but only a person like Tofu would be able to tell the difference.

The aide entered, and seeing Kishiro trying to help the colonel, rushed to phone an ambulance. By the time he returned, the colonel was no longer struggling to breathe, and had passed out. Kishiro continued her thrusts, secretly making sure he would never recover. The aide felt for a pulse, and finding none, shook his head. Together, they laid the colonel's body on the floor.

"I...I tried to," Kishiro stuttered, faking shock, "he just sat back, and the next thing I knew..."

"I understand ma'am...." He paused for a moment, trying to think of something to say. His tongue finally settled on a tired cliche, "there was nothing more you could have done. W-Why don't you sit down in the office? I'm sure the MPs will want a statement."

"Alright," she answered, continuing her facade. Inside she was laughing at the dead man behind her. _One left..._

"Great-grandmother! Is letter from village!" Shampoo said as she walked into one of the Cat Café's back rooms. She handed the centimeter thick envelope to the aged woman sitting in front of the television. Cologne took about thirty seconds to read the entire thing, having learned to speed read well over forty years ago. "What it say?" Shampoo asked impatiently.

"It's the usual monthly report," Cologne answered while lighting her pipe. "The crop is coming well, and everything is peaceful, nothing important." Shampoo seemed mildly disappointed. "There was one interesting side note," Cologne continued, "Remember that girl, Mir-aur? She's about three years older than you, came into the village eight years ago or so. They may have found a lead on her husband."

"The lightning fist boy?"

"Yes. Remarkable speed he had. Even greater than Son-in-law, with the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken. I'm almost ashamed to admit that even I couldn't follow his fist. Of course, he wasn't much of a fighter, even with all his speed." She shook her head in disbelief at such squandered talent. "His footwork was all wrong."

"He disappear six years ago, correct?"

"I'm surprised you remembered. Yes, he left after defeating Mir-aur. Seems he may have used the services of a mage in Northern Japan a few weeks ago. Of course, three weeks ago, you couldn't throw a stone around in northern Japan without hitting a sorcerer of some kind. Why they ever hold conventions in this dimension I'll never know. She tracked down that mage and he said that her husband was headed towards Tokyo, so she'll be staying with us for a while. She'll arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon."

"Think her husband here?"

"I doubt it. She's been chasing ghosts for nearly six years. She'll probably be chasing them for another six before she realizes it's a lost cause. He's most likely dead if our other reports are correct. I trust the word of our scouts over that of a mage."

"She Amazon. Amazon never give up!" Shampoo responded.

"There is a fine line between tenacity and obsession, Shampoo. Personally, I think she was crazy about that boy as soon as she met him in the village," Cologne snorted in disgust. _But it may have gone much farther..._

"Think she let win?"

"No," Cologne sighed. "But that is not important. Now, we must clean up our home for her arrival. Where is that worthless Mousse?" 

Thirty thousand feet above the Pacific ocean, an olive drab C-31 flies east. Inside the cockpit, the pilot yawned. There isn't much to do when flying in a straight line at a set altitude. The call they received from the Tokyo JSDF base was the first they had in almost an hour. The co-pilot jotted down the message and took it back to the Captain. He scurried back to the cockpit as soon as he handed the paper over; it wouldn't be a pretty scene. 

The Captain nearly choked to death on his lunch when he read the note. After regaining his breathing functions, he read it again. A few of the men stared at him inquisitively. He had no choice now, he had to tell them. "Men, I've just been informed that our Colonel has passed on."

Faces of shock and silence filled the plane. Only the Sergeant's face was different. He was angry. Angry because he instinctively knew what actually happened; more so because he knew who the next target would be. 

That night, at the Tendo dojo:

Nabiki was looking at her laptop intently. "Bingo." She had found him. On the left half of her screen was Sergeant Isamu Watanabe's record in the JSDF. On the right, was a picture of the man who had been at her home this morning. She read through the short dossier, learning nothing important. "In the army for five years, known for tenacity and toughness, yada yada yada... Huh. But nothing over five years old. No listing of previous addresses, jobs, or parents..." _Maybe he was a ward of the state?_ _I'll have to check the social services records. _

__"I wonder where he is now?" She pushed a few buttons and grinned. It was all too easy. "Flying to Nevada eh? Seminar on anti-terrorist tactics. Maybe he's in some kind of army S.W.A.T team? Still doesn't answer the big question." _Namely, why did he give me this ring? _Resigning herself to temporary defeat, she shut down her computer and went to bed. "Wish this ring would come off. It's latched onto my finger like a sea lamprey." The flip of a switch and another Tendo was asleep.

"Tokyo doesn't look like I though it would," Misa commented as they passed an abandoned warehouse. "I'm getting cold too. Can we stop somewhere and warm up?" Her turtle neck sweater wasn't as effective against the cold as she thought it would be.

"Let's try...to make it..to Nerima," her brother answered. _I can feel them already..._

"All right," she mumbled. "Can we at least stop and grab something to eat?"

"Later. We are...in an...industrial...area. No.. restaurants..here." 

"How about a knuckle sandwich?" a man asked, materializing from an alley in front of them.

"That was pretty lame," an accomplice added as he appeared.

"Razor's right," another thug agreed as he joined his buddies.

"Seemed funny at the time," the first replied. Seeing him whip out a knife, Misa ducked behind her brother, pulling her frightened face into the back of his outer-cloak.

"Give us all your money, and we'll let you go on your merry way," the one called Razor sneered.

"Screw the money! I want a little one-on-one with the chick!" the third argued.

"Fine! Give us yur money **and** the girl, and you'll leave here in one piece man," Razor threatened. Misa whimpered in response to those words.

"No," Misa's brother answered, his voice devoid of emotion. The orb held in the dragon's maw of his staff glimmered, daring them to attack, but it went unnoticed by all. 

"Then we'll just hafta mess you up! And here we were bein' all generous," Razor feigned sadness as he revealed two large knives strapped to his thighs. 

"Misa close...your eyes."

"Yeah, you won't wanna see your friend here get sliced and diced!"

Misa closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, as she sobbed fearfully into the back of her brother's robes. She never saw the bright light that flashed from his staff, so bright that the sky lit up as if the wrath of the heavens had been summoned forth. All she saw were the after effects. The three youths were writhing on the ground, hands rubbing their eyes, as if the motion would restore the eyesight they had just lost. Their screams of pain echoed into the night, etching themselves in her memory. She had heard screams like that once before...

She didn't realize it, but she had somehow caught her brother as he faltered in his steps, weakened from his actions. With a suddenly iron clad resolve to help him, she supported him as best she could, and half-carried him to the nearest hotel. In her brother's gloved hand, another half centimeter of the Jade turned to Ivory as the pair slowly left the scene. 

  
  


"I never realized you were so sick," Misa told him as she set him down on the bed. "You weigh less than I do." He didn't answer, he merely concentrated on his breathing, as usual. "And you're fifteen centimeters taller than me!"

"And you're...pudgy," he retorted, stating it cold and factually.

"Why you! I can't help it if my metabolism is slow!"

"Just rest...sister. We must...finish our.. journey..tomorrow."

Misa's face softened. "Sweet dreams, brother." She cuddled up to his side and fell asleep with an ease only children have. He moved his hand away from her; she was lucky she hadn't touched any skin.

_Sweet dreams_, he repeated to himself. _I never have those_. 

Next morning:

Nabiki woke from a fitful night of sleep. She couldn't remember what it was, but she felt like she had been chased all night. Something haunted her, powerful, omnipresent yet always unseen. Shaking her head, Nabiki chalking it up to something she ate and groaned as she headed for the bathroom.

"What was up with you last night?" Akane asked as she passed Nabiki in the hall. "I could hear you mumbling in your sleep."

"What did I say?" Nabiki asked, worried that some of her secrets might have slipped. 

"I don't know. Seemed like you were repeating a name. Ne-..Na-...N- something."

"Whatever. I'm gonna take a bath."

The C-31 landed unceremoniously at the Nevada air base. Next to the hangar, several hummers awaited the taxing airplane. The moment the planes engines died, the men inside the plane were hauling their gear into the hummers. Their motions were swift and strong, but the emotional vigor that had been there at the start of the trip was gone. The only person who seemed fully there was Sergeant Watanabe and everyone avoided him. A hundred and twenty kilos of angry muscle is generally given the right of way. Ten minutes after landing, the JSDF contingent started the two hour drive to the U.S. Army base. 

"Hello?" a strong female voice called into the Cat Café. Mousse greeted the woman and offered her a seat at one of the tables, saying he would take her order in a minute. Recognizing him as a male from the village, she switched her dialect from Japanese to Mandarin. "I am here to see Cologne. My name is Mir-aur, of the Joketsuzoku. Who might you be?" 

"He's Mousse," Cologne responded in Mandarin. "Shampoo is out making deliveries. Please, come into the back. We've been expecting you." Cologne lead the ivory haired woman into the small living room behind the café. Mir-aur placed her sheathed sword on the floor beside her as she sat before Cologne. "Nice weapon, Mir-aur. Though I must say, the hilt is quite strange."

"Yes. I had this specially forged by an old friend. The blade is silver coated carbon steel. The hilt is gold plated, reinforced carbon steel. And the grip is made from a red dragon's scale." Mir-aur looked on her weapon with pride before offering it to Cologne for inspection. "'Handy for everything from demons and vampires, to healing and deforestation,' he said."

"And the handle is carved into a dragon to boot. But I must ask, why a dragon's scale?"

"That is a long story. To summarize, I thought I should educate myself in the mystic arts. White magic specifically."

"A healer? But why?" Mir-aur had been a decent caregiver, but never showed any signs of great potential in it.

"For my husband, of course. I believe he was a mage himself."

"What makes you think that?"

"He was a master of deception. He created illusions and such, low brow magic, as it were. Once, he even fooled me into thinking he was a female. Well that, and the fact that he could levitate. So I chose to study white magic, as a balance to his skills."

"I see. So what of this red dragon's scale?"

"It strengthens the sword's magic, along with it's user's. And that blue orb in its fangs does the same," Mir-aur said, answering Cologne's next question.

"And what happened to your hair? It used to be sea blue, right?"

Mir-aur stroked her white locks as she replied. "I had a little accident while I was an apprentice."

"It does seem to suit you, Mir-aur. Draws attention to your blue eyes."

"Thank you. Other changes I decided to perform myself."

"Like what?" Cologne asked, looking intently at Mir-aur's figure, displaying itself proudly through a tight crimson robe. "You increased your bust and slimmed your waist, didn't you?"

"Yes," Mir-aur replied shyly. "I was a bit flat-chested before, so..."

"Nothing wrong with that," Cologne cackled. "Feels good to be a woman, doesn't it?"

"I just wish my husband was here," Mir-aur admitted. "I'm beginning to tire of my search. Five years ago, I was a day or two, a week at the most, behind him. Since then, I haven't seen hide nor hair of him."

"There are plenty of fish in the ocean," Cologne quoted. "Why not go back out fishing?"

"I'm still not ready to give up. He said he'd be back after finishing some personal business. I believe he will keep his promise. And he better or it'll take a lot more than a white mage to fix his sorry ass!"

"If you believed he would keep his promise, then why did you follow him?"

"Trust doesn't mean being naive," Mir-aur stated. "Besides, he may needed my help. He is a man after all." _Among other reasons..._

"That is true," Cologne chuckled. "But still, it has been six years. Just look at how much you've changed. How will you be able to recognize him?"

"I've thought about that many nights. Especially those warm summer ones that I spent chasing him through China, underneath those star filled mountain skies. The ones that always occur in those romance novels, you know? I would see his face, smiling at me, telling me he loved me and would return, just like the night he left." Mir-aur sighed wistfully, "and then it would all shatter, and I'd realize that he might not look like that anymore. That's another reason why I decided to become a mage."

"Really?"

"Yes. I enchanted the blue orb of my sword to glow when it sensed his aura. The closer I get, the brighter the glow. When I'm really close to him, like ten meters, it'll turn blood red."

"Doesn't that require a sample of his aura to 'calibrate' it?" Cologne asked. She had a little experience with magic herself.

"Well, he did give me these." Mir-aur pulled her waist long hair away from her ears, revealing two rather large and ornate ear rings. "They were his mother's. So they had a lot of her aura and some of his imprinted on them. I used those impressions to 'calibrate', as you put it, my sword. I'll know if he's within a kilometer of me."

"How long do you plan to search Tokyo for him?"

"No more than two weeks. If I do not find him by then, I'll return to my teacher and accompany him on a training trip to another dimension."

"Well, good luck to you." Shampoo announced her return then. "Come, let's go meet my great granddaughter."

That night:

"Are you.. ready to.. continue?" 

"Just a sec, brother," Misa mumbled, slipping on her shoes. "Okay!"

"We cannot...stop tonight. We must...make it to... Nerima."

"What is so important about Nerima anyways? That's all you ever talk about. I mean, we haven't seen each other in five years! Can't we talk about sumthin' else?"

"Our aid..will be there," he told her, not bothering to comment on her whining.

"Aid?"

"There are...powerful....people there. They will...help us." With that, he turned around and left the room, Misa scurrying to catch up.

Nabiki settled into her bed, hoping to regain some of the sleep that had eluded her last night. Tonight was not promising to be much help, as her mind entered a state she couldn't recall entering before. She could tell she was dreaming, the thoughts passing through her mind were too wild for reality, but she was not asleep either. It was an enjoyable feeling in a way, being able to follow her dream, to occasionally shift it in this way or that. She was observing herself from behind, watching her scribbling furiously on some generic notepad on her bedroom desk. By the way the hair was cut, the brown strands passing her shoulders, she knew it was a younger self. 

Nabiki followed her younger self to school. It was amazing how many things she remembered about junior high, especially the grounds itself, and how tangible everything seemed. Nabiki warped through the yard to her old classroom. Her younger self was quietly looking out the window at the clouds in the sky, fingers quietly rapping on her desk. A noise at the head of the room caused both Nabikis to turn. The teacher, his face fuzzed out, was introducing a new student to the class. He was fairly tall for a fourteen year old, and had an aura of maturity about him, much like the young Nabiki believed she had. Nabiki knew she knew who he was, but she couldn't place his face. He said some words that never reached her, and sat down next to her; it was the only free seat in the room. 

Nabiki rotated around the scene, and she watched as they exchanged some greetings, though the world was muted. There was something important about meeting this boy, it had changed her life some how. She tried to force the dream forward, but it stalled, and stretched the scene out. She was forced to watch as she would ask the boy questions, and he would answer, never turning to face her, just answering like she was in front of him. She asked him about his family, Nabiki heard that, and he froze. He didn't answer for a long time, and as he opened his mouth to answer, the scene folded in on itself, and replaced itself with another.

The two were walking together, standing at an equal height, Nabiki's younger self glancing back and forth as she talked. She had the slightest of blushes, as if she was nervous about talking to the chestnut haired boy. Nabiki realized now this was a replaying of her first schoolgirl crush. Even then she knew it was a silly crush, as most are, but she felt inexplicably drawn to him, even in her dreams. How could she have forgotten his name? 

She watched as he paid no attention to her. That isn't to say he wouldn't respond, just that his responses were.. minimalist. It was like he was hiding something, and deliberately trying to avoid any personal endearment to those around him. He answered one of her questions, causing her young self to start, blushing profusely. He noticed her reaction, and continued saying something that made the blush grow deeper. Then, the scene changed again.

It grew dark, bitterly dark. A street light lit a dim halo around the boy, who was running towards her. Nabiki's younger self looked back at him and smiled, waving with one hand while her other held somebody else's. He was yelling at her, running, then sprinting, finally flying towards her, yelling something that never reached her ears. There was a loud noise, like the crack of thunder, and he fell to the ground. Both her selves ran to him, running faster as his thick, crimson blood pooled around him, but they never got any closer. He finally stood up, his head arched back, and let out this cry of pain and hate and rage, stopping the elder Nabiki in her tracks, while the young Nabiki froze in mid-stride. The cry continued for several minutes, the boy bleeding profusely as he stood there, and then everything went pure white.

Nabiki awoke with a start, a cold sweat streaming down her face. She could remember the dream completely, the end repeating in her mind. She just couldn't place those events in her life. She could remember the walk down the hallway, and some of the things that boy had said, but nothing else. She should have remembered; she knew so many minute details, but none of the important ones. What was his name? What happened to him? Why was she now dreaming about him? 

She would have thought about it more if it weren't for the fact her ring was glowing. It was a gentle glow, a light blue haze of illumination, not unlike the moonlight streaming through the window. It seemed to know she had seen it, for it died as she stared at it. She watched it intently, trying to will it to glow again, but it wouldn't. Nabiki silently reprimanded herself, she was beginning to hallucinate like a Kuno for heaven's sake, when she noticed a much stronger glow exactly like her own outside the dojo walls. Inexplicably drawn to it, she left her room to investigate.

Akane herself wasn't sleeping very well, and was easily awoken by Nabiki screaming in her sleep. Remembering the events of the night before, she was going to try and return to sleep when she heard Nabiki open her door and go downstairs. Figuring something was up, Akane forced herself out from under her warm blanket and walked downstairs in her pajamas.

  
  


Across town, Mir-aur was studying an ancient text on herbal shiatsu medicine, burning the contents into her memory, and did not notice the faint glowing of the orb in her sword.

Nabiki was just inside the dojo gate, hesitantly putting her hand on the wood, the blue light leaking above and underneath the gate. It was like something out of E.T. She had seen that movie when she was very young, and it had scared her. She had never been able to watch it after that. Of course, movies did little to entertain her anymore... Shaking her head to get her thoughts back to the present, she steeled herself and tensed her muscles. With a solid push she opened the gate, and was greeted by a young girl, standing next to a slim man, the light flowing from his staff. He stood there, his staff bathing the three of them in its pale light, and spoke, "I have...come for-"

He never finished, as Nabiki had done something rather unexpected. She had fainted.

END CHAPTER 1

  
  


Next time: "Meet the Tendos!" or "Things get interesting!...er...I mean, more interesting."

  
  


Author's notes:

Well, hope I didn't screw things up too badly. Things are going kind of slow, I know, but hang in there. It'll get more interesting, trust me. Besides, this is only version 1.0. Send C&C to [F22wannabe@aol.com][1], with the header- "Narthoron c&c"- otherwise it will be ignored and deleted.

I promise to include more M.I.B. in the next chapter, however, they are not essential to the story line, they're only here to speed things up a bit. If I get any facts about them, X-Com, or anything else wrong, chalk it up to ignorance or denial, I don't care. Besides, this is a fanfic, things aren't supposed to be exactly the same. 

As for the name of this fic, it will be explained at the end. If you are familiar with the Lord of the Rings -which I'm not- (I only read the Hobbit) you _might_ be able to figure it out. But I sincerely doubt it. It's pretty obscure. (If you do figure it out, go get yourself a cookie.) 

As you've no doubt noticed, I'm rather Spartan in my story telling. I like stories being to the point. I'll try to keep it interesting, but I don't feel like adding a whole bunch of stuff that doesn't pertain to the story. Also, you the reader have to use a bit more of your imagination, meaning you can adapt the story more towards your personal preferences. (A nice way of saying I'm lazy, isn't it?) 

(1) 'Cover' is the proper term for a service man's hat. I learned that from some friends.

Thanks for wasting your time on me. Chapter two should be done very soon.

(But then, all fanfics promise that....)

Visit my website at [www.flamingwreckage.8m.com.][2]

Traditional words of wisdom left at the bottom of fanfics:

"Never listen to the little leprechaun on your left shoulder. Always listen to the purple dwarf on your right shoulder. He tells me to burn things..."

- Winchie and Norjay 

(Yes, they are real people.)

   [1]: mailto:F22wannabe@aol.com,
   [2]: http://www.flamingwreckage



	2. Preparation Day

Narthoron

Chapter 2, v. 1.0

"You walked into the room, 

and the whole place stopped to notice.

Standing next to you,

I feel hopeless and you know this."

Barenaked Ladies, "Conventioneers"

Disclaimer: The events portrayed within are fictional. All Ranma characters belong to someone else, because they know what would happen if I ever got my hands on them. New characters are pigments of my exaggeration, and are easily the coolest new characters ever put into the Ranma universe, simply because the voices in my head never stop raving about them. This story is not deemed realistic in pretty much every way, so don't threaten me with bodily harm because places don't exist, I break military rules and regs, or because I hurt cute furry animals. (Only the bad ones of course.)

Voice 33: But if they're cute, how can they be bad?

Me: There is a reason I don't let us watch Pokemon.

Voice 33: My bad. Good call, Mr. President of the Little Bunny Darkness.

Me: Now on with more time wasting, radiation producing madness!

  
  


Last time: The M.I.B. spotted an Ethereal; Misa began a journey with a man she calls her long lost brother; Mir-aur arrived at the Cat Café; and Misa and her brother arrived at the Tendo dojo. 

Chapter Two: "Mir-aur, Mir-aur" or "The Middle of the Beginning"

  
  


A techie at an M.I.B. monitoring station watched a data-readout of Japan intently. Like he had for the past month. Ever since the supposed sighting of an Ethereal - a deadly and presumed extinct species of extraterrestrials - he had been sitting in front of this same data station, watching the same display, for the express purpose of finding said alien. So far it had been a waste of time. 

Nerima was a hot spot of energy production, specifically low class mental spikes, the tech had learned early on. Low class of course, meant highly advanced bio-energy manipulation, a.k.a. chi. Not bad for a race of beings considered to be pond scum by most other races. The source of these readings were a couple of teenaged martial artists, which made their accomplishments even more amazing. 

The first recorded readings of these fighters was almost two years ago, and had only risen since then, in both volume and power. At the present moment, they were listed as a class three threat, on a five class scale. If any alien ever subverted them to their control... Which was one reason why the techie was paying particular attention to Nerima. If the Ethereal was still in Japan, it would be drawn towards these people, seeking to use their abilities for its as yet unknown purposes. But even the dire threat such an event posed could not keep the job interesting. The techie was almost thankful that a energy spike was registered.

"Wonder who's fighting tonight?" The computer analyzed the frequency of the spike and compared it to the known 'Nerima Wrecking Crew', as the teens had been termed. None of them matched. "Found the ba$!@rd at last," the techie grinned, despite the fact the worst case scenario was being played out. He stored the information away and sent a copy to his superior. By the time he was done, the blip had disappeared. "The strange times continue at the Tendo Dojo," he told himself. "Just pray you live through this one."

  
  


Theta got the call as he was stepping out of the shower. His face went white as he was informed of what the tech had discovered. "Are you sending in an X-Com squad?"

"Negative," Zed replied. "The area is too populated, considering the people he now has under his control. You are to stake out the Tendo dojo while we come up with a plan to extradite the Ethereal. Inform us of everything that goes on. Be careful. You have permission to fire if things start going haywire. The chances are low considering its present M.O." _Pray they stay that way._

"Understood." Theta hung up and dressed before heading to the supply depot of Japan M.I.B.

"So, gentlemen, what do we do?" Zed asked, turning to the group of strategists in his office.

  
  


Back in Nerima:

He knelt over her, checking for a pulse, while the light from his staff died. Mir-aur's sword did the same, darkening as she raised her eyes out of her book to check on the creepy feeling she was getting. 

He looked behind himself and told Misa that the girl had merely fainted. He pulled Nabiki's hand up to his and looked over the ring. He mumbled something to himself and pulled himself upright with his staff. He was asking Misa to help him carry the girl inside when they heard Akane's yell.

"Stay away from her!" Akane yelled as she saw some strange man in robes standing over her sister. Akane would have been out there sooner, but she had stubbed her toe in the dark, and those things took time to recuperate from. She was by her sister's side in a second and assuming a ready stance. "I said back off!"

"We don't mean any trouble," Misa said weakly, walking towards Akane. "We just came to talk to-"

"Talk my foot! Why's she unconscious?"

"She fainted," Misa's brother replied.

Akane turned her attention towards the man, taking her first real look at him. His robes, his staff, everything added to an image she instantly recognized. "Isn't death supposed to carry a scythe?" she asked dumbly, feeling her heart begin to race, and startling herself and the other two with her words.

"He's not death," Misa chided. "He's my brother, and he's..sick."

"Maybe we...could explain...better inside?" he suggested.

"Uh..." Akane replied. He had freaked her brain into hibernation.

Lights were finally coming on inside the house behind her. Someone inside shouted, "Akane!? What's wrong?" Akane thought about responding, but the man cut her off.

"Please carry.. your sister... inside." He walked down the path towards the door, seeming to float over the stairs leading to it.

"Weird." Akane shook her head and picked up her sister, Misa apologizing the entire time as they went inside.

******************************

"Who are you?" Soun asked once everybody was gathered around the table. Misa and her brother sat at the end opposite Soun, Ranma and Akane on either side, while Kasumi was caring for Nabiki a few feet away. Misa wore a pink turtleneck sweater and skirt, having left her jacket and backpack with her brother's outer cloak inside the entrance to the house.

"My name is Misa, and this is my brother," she motioned to man next to her. He was watching Kasumi place a damp cloth on Nabiki's head. He turned back to the group, gently leaning his staff onto the table. He placed a gloved hand on Misa's shoulder and she spoke again. "We want to apologize for everything, we planned on getting here sooner, but we were...delayed."

"What happened to Nabiki?" Akane asked angrily.

"She fainted. I think she got the wrong impression of my brother. A lot of people do."

"Looks like death," Ranma said, stating the obvious.

"Not by choice," Misa answered. "He says its better this way. He's really sick, and it doesn't look too good. Otherwise he really scares people."

Nabiki moaned, and slowly woke up. She opened her eyes and saw Kasumi smiling down at her. "I had the weirdest dream," Nabiki said.

"It probably wasn't." Kasumi motioned to Nabiki's left. Nabiki rolled her head, and saw her father, Akane, and Ranma sitting next to some girl and.. Nabiki bolted upright in shock and nearly fainted again.

"Hello," the girl cheered, waving at Nabiki. "Feeling better?"

"Um, I guess so..." Nabiki tried to keep her view away from the man beside Misa, but failed. 

"That's good," Misa's brother said, though there was no inflection in his voice showing whether he meant it or not.

"Why don't you and your sister come over to the table so we can talk?" Misa asked.

Nabiki warily followed Kasumi over, and sat as far from the two visitors as possible. "Let me introduce ourselves again, I'm Misa, and this is my brother."

"What's his name?" Nabiki asked reluctantly.

"His name is Thanatos."

Nabiki fainted again.

***

"You really shouldn't do that Nabiki, it's bad for your health."

"I know Kasumi, but don't you know what that name means?"

"No. What?"

"Never mind. I'll tell you later." _I hope_.

"Anyways, I know you all have a lot of questions, so why don't you ask them?" Misa smiled.

"What's up with the clothes?" Nabiki asked first, trying to divert her attention from both the man and his name.

Thanatos pulled back the hood, exposing his face to the group. Kasumi gave the 'oh my' of the ages, Akane, Nabiki, and Ranma all dry heaved, and Soun passed out. 

"Next question?" Misa asked, totally oblivious to their reactions.

"Please say **that is ****_not_ contagious**!" Nabiki screamed.

"It isn't," Thanatos answered.

"Why does he have that staff?" Ranma asked, since he was the first to recover and wanted to forget what he saw.

"Helps him walk, and it's a great comfort to him. My brother needs all the comfort he can get," she patted the hand on her shoulder as she said that.

"Why are you here?" Nabiki finally asked, unsuccessfully trying to dislodge the image of Thanatos's face from her mind. She had a new appreciation for hooded robes.

"We need your help Nabiki."

"What was that?"

"We need money," Misa stated.

"And you came to me?"

"Yes," Misa and Thanatos responded together, though Thanatos's reply lacked Misa's enthusiasm.

"Why?"

"You are the only person we can trust," Misa replied. "We need to find our family."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Akane admitted.

Misa sighed, and turned to her brother, who responded by squeezing her shoulder. "Five years ago, our family was separated. I was placed into a foster home soon after, and Thanatos is the first I've seen of any of them since then. He's been searching for the past five years for all of us. And as you know, he's not in the best shape. We need to find them before it's too late..."

"So you're trying to reunite with your family?" Akane asked. A gentle tug of sympathy pulled at her heart.

"Exactly. We sort of know where one of them is, but we don't know where our sister is."

"Do you know their names?" Nabiki asked. A nagging feeling of sympathy was refusing to die by an onslaught of financial doctrine.

"They might have changed them, but we'd know them if we ever met them."

"Howzat?" Ranma inquired. He spent his time looking at Thanatos, knowing any prolonged look ( over three point seven two seconds) at Misa would earn a mallet strike from Akane.

"Our family has a distinct..birthmark..in a certain spot," Misa replied, blushing with embarrassment.

"That I did not need to know," Nabiki moaned.

"Then why...did you ask?" Thanatos asked.

"I didn't expect such a, well, personal answer," she admitted. "Do you know what they used to call themselves?"

"Isamu and Teri, most likely."

"What about your family name?"

"Watanabe."

"Do you have any idea what they might look like?" Nabiki asked.

Misa paused before answering. "Isamu would probably be tall and muscled, maybe in the military. I don't know about Teri."

"Did you say in the military?" Nabiki asked.

"Yes."

"He gave...you the...ring, right?" Thanatos stated more than asked.

"How did you know?" Something was tingling the back of her mind. 

"Do you know where he is?" Misa asked excitedly.

"Sure. I did a background check on him after he dropped this sucker off. He's over in the U.S." _Why didn't I charge them for that? And why does my brain feel like it's itching? _

"Could you loan us the money to get over there?" Misa asked hopefully. "We should be able to pay you back once we get there."

"Why bother? He'll be back in a week."

"But **we** might not be here in a week," Misa pointed out. 

"And he..could be...dead as well.."

"What do you mean?" Akane asked. This was getting weird...weirder.

"Who was..he traveling..with?"

"A couple of officers, highest rank was a captain," Nabiki replied. _Dammit! Stop giving up information for free! _

"A captain?" Misa repeated.

"She will... be there... as well."

"You mean your sister?" 

"Yes Ranma. Our sister may be there too," Misa stated.

"Why?" Nabiki asked.

"She's...involved... with the... military," Thanatos responded.

"That would mean all of us would be there at the same time!" Misa exclaimed. "We'd be sure to find them!" She was practically jumping with joy.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but, all right." The tingling in her mind receded some. "However, if I'm gonna pay for you two to go, I might as well go too. And I'll need Ranma to come along to keep you two from running off. So you'll have to cover his costs as well."

"Fine," Thanatos agreed.

"I'm coming too!" Akane interrupted.

"Fine," Thanatos agreed again.

"Plus I expect a fifty percent service fee."

"Fine," Thanatos agreed again.

"One finally thing," Nabiki said, "can I call you Mr. T?"

"Fine," Thanatos consented.

"It's nice doing business with you, Mr. T. Anything else we need to discuss?" _Other than the fact I've gone insane? At least the itching is gone. Damn conscience must be acting up again._

"I'm tired," Misa yawned, "is there a spare bed I can use?"

"We've got a couple of futons. You wouldn't mind using the dojo, would you?" Kasumi asked smiling.

"No, not at all. Just as long as it's soft and warm," Misa smiled back.

"Great. Ranma, will you show them to the dojo while I grab those futons?"

"Sure thing Kasumi." Misa and Thanatos followed him to the dojo. "Either of you do any martial arts?" he asked, trying to fill the strange silence that had fallen over the group.

"I don't care for them, and you've seen my brother..."

"Um, yeah..." Silence again overcame the group as they entered the dojo. "So anyway, this is the dojo. I'm heading off to bed."

"Goodnight Ranma," Misa cheered.

Once Ranma had left the room, Thanatos spoke. "There is.. something... about that... boy."

Misa looked up to her brother with excitement on her face. "I bet he's a three A!"

"Three C," Thanatos stated. 

"I'm surprised Nabiki hasn't advanced past a one C," Misa sighed. 

"It is for...the best."

Misa took this to heart. "I understand. You think she'll want to play? I miss my friends. I want to play!"

"Later. You must rest."

The next morning:

Shampoo awoke early that day, so she could go back to sleep - with Ranma, that is. 'Airen's Sunrise Snuggle Surprise' she liked to call it. She sneaked past Mir-aur, who had fallen asleep face-first in her book at one of the café's tables, and headed for the dojo.

The Tendo dojo was very quiet this morning, everybody sleeping in due to their late night. Only two people were up: Kasumi in the bath, and Thanatos, who appeared to be meditating in the dojo. In reality, he had been sitting there for many hours, long before Kasumi had ever stirred from her dreams. He stood up with the aid of his cane when he heard the light steps of feet on the dojo roof. Walking slowly outside, he caught a tail glimpse of Shampoo as she crossed the crest of the roof above Ranma's room. Unable to guess her intentions, he walked slowly inside, and up the stairs.

Shampoo almost giggled to herself. It was all too easy. Airen never woke this earlier, the sun was barely beginning to touch the sky with its warming rays. He also never locked his window, lest he be unable to escape from an attacker. She was lifting said window open, when Thanatos, clad in his deep purple robe- appearing black due to lack of light- entered Ranma's room. She watched with growing terror as the staff carrying shadow approached her, his thin, gloved hand holding the wood tightly, slowly advancing on her. Her heart stopped as his shadowed face met hers, the thin glass all that stood between them. His eyes, she could feel them staring into her soul, though she could not do the same, could not even see the offending organs. They stayed there like that for several long moments, until Shampoo's mind finally understood what it saw before her. Shouting something in Mandarin, she hightailed it out of there. She needed her great-grandmother, real fast. 

Thanatos watched her leave, and seeing her vanish over the roof tops, exited the Saotome's room. Kasumi nearly bumped into him as he came out, she had just finished her bath and was heading back to her room to change. She offered an apology that went unreturned, then wrinkled her nose. "When was the last time those clothes were washed?"

"I do...not know."

"They certainly do smell. Why don't you go take a bath while I wash them for you?" Thanatos didn't answer. He merely shrugged one arm out of a sleeve, holding tightly onto the staff with his other, then repeated the process. Kasumi helped him pull it over his head. Underneath, he had another robe, this one white cotton, stained with perspiration. "I should wash that one too." Thanatos made no motion to take it off. "Oh! I'm sorry. You don't have anything on underneath that, do you?"

"No."

"Well, I'll just leave some fresh clothes for you while you take your bath. I'm sure Ranma won't mind sharing some of his clothes."

"No. I will...wear this." He turned and walked down the stairs.

"Okay. But it really should get washed." Kasumi walked to her room and changed into one of her light yellow dresses. "How does that thing create such a dark shadow?" she asked the air, finally registering that the black void that covered his...diseased.. face never wavered, despite the thin and airy nature of his cotton robe. 

M.I.B. headquarters:

"J, L," Zed greeted. "I think you two know why you are here."

"You're sending us after that Ethereal thing."

"That is one way to put it. I am sending you to assist Agent Theta in Japan. You will be acting as recon only. No offensive actions, period. Stay out of sight, and use caution. We'll take him down once he leaves the company of the Nerima crew."

"Nerima crew?" J repeated.

"L will brief you on the way. I also had one of the boys in the archives dig up the Epsilon report. If you do nothing else on the way over there, read this! If your transport gets attacked by a Kertunian goblingatsu, read this while you shoot its flippers off. Do I make myself clear?"

"Except for that Cartoonian goblin thing," J commented.

"Let's go J," L sighed.

  
  


Thanatos sank into the bathtub, causing tiny waves to ricochet back and forth off the sides. Outside the tub, his hand rested on his staff, where it stayed dry. His long, unkempt hair spilled all around him, both in and out of the tub. He was breathing a little heavier in the bathroom, the steam making it harder on his lungs. He was slowly getting out of the tub when the door behind him opened.

Akane had awoke early, not by choice. She kept having weird dreams about some people showing up at the house. At least she wasn't having nightmares like Nabiki. That girl was having a rough time sleeping for the last three nights, and that didn't help Akane's rest either. Sighing at the injustice of it all, she opened the door to the inner-bathroom.

Thanatos finished standing up as he heard some woman gasp behind him. Not saying a word, he stepped out of the tub, a small clack emanating from where the staff hit the tile. In the silence that had settled, it was like a gunshot.

"PERVERT!" Akane threw the wash basin in her hands at him. It sailed wide right. She then realized who she threw it at, and started stuttering an apology, when she realized they were both still naked. She covered as much of herself as she could with the towel she had. Thanatos, thankfully, never turned around, his long hair hiding his entire backside. "Uh..Sorry." Akane backed out of the room. _Was that hair silver?_

A moment later, a dressed Thanatos exited the bathroom, in a stained cotton robe. He walked silently past Akane, who still had a blush on her face, though neither one of them had seen anything private on the other person. Akane was rather glad about that. She definitely did not want to see **any** part of Thanatos. Quietly, she entered the bathroom to take her own bath. "His hair is silver," she said, spotting a long hair in the water. "Pretty long too." She clearly remembered that it reached down close to mid thigh on the man. "Guess I wasn't dreaming about those people."

Shampoo was hysterical by the time she got back to the Cat Café. She was flying through Mandarin expletives as she pounded the door to Cologne's room. Seconds later, the aged master opened the door, scolding Shampoo for her bad manners. It all fell on deaf ears. Shampoo just kept repeating the same phrase to Cologne: "Death at Airen's! Death at Airen's!"

Cologne bolted out of her grogginess instantly. She didn't bother to ask Shampoo to repeat what she just said, Shampoo had done that five repetitions ago. "Go wake Mir-aur. We will leave as soon as she is ready." _I wonder who kicked the bucket? It better not be that stupid boy, if he knows what's good for him_... That thought brought a wry smirk from the old woman.

Shampoo shook Mir-aur awake like an over-active paint-shaker. Mir-aur nearly backhanded the youth away from herself, but refrained when she saw the concerned expression on the girl's face, not to mention hear the intense, worried rambling. Cologne offered an explanation as she pogoed down the stairs. "Seems there is a bit of trouble at Son-in-Laws. We may need your assistance."

Mir-aur grabbed her sword. "Lead the way."

  
  


"You look horrible Nabiki," Akane said as the girl shuffled out of her room.

"I feel worse."

"Well, the bath is free," Akane told her, a light blush coming to her cheeks as she said it.

"Good." Nabiki continued her shuffling, grumpily scratching and cursing in a most unladylike manner.

  
  


Misa rolled over in her futon, her eyes slowly opening to the sight of her brother meditating next to her. She yawned a good morning as she stretched herself awake. "Where are your robes?" she asked him. 

"Laundry."

"And why isn't the one you're wearing with them?" she asked incredulously.

"Nothing else...to wear."

"Okay. Guess that's a good enough reason. I'll probably just borrow something from Akane. She's not too much bigger than me." She pranced out of the room, and Thanatos resumed his meditation.

  
  


Misa walked into the inner bathroom and plopped down next to a grumpy Nabiki. She paid no attention to the older girl's grumblings about 'invasion of privacy.' She took her time scrubbing, and complained loudly as she rinsed herself with cold water. Her elation at sinking into the hot water of the furo wasn't unheard either. 

"You really enjoy that, don't you?" Nabiki barked. Three nights of horrible sleep was getting on her nerves.

"Who doesn't?" Misa replied with childish glee.

Nabiki decided to shut out Misa for the rest of her stay in the furo. 

The Men in Black have the technology of the galaxy at their disposal. Spaceships, blasters, hyper-advanced computers, you name it. It is for this reason that the train J and L were presently riding in seemed decidedly low tech. The fact that it was traveling underground at mach one point three was the only indication of how astounding it really was. J was reclining comfortably while L used the table between them to spread out their reading material.

"So what does that Epsilon report say?"

"It's a short report on Ethereals and their abilities, based on autopsies, live alien studies, and human to human telepathy. There is a lot of interesting data in it and the other reports here."

"Care to read them to me? My eyes are tired."

"I;m sure they'll enjoy resting much more after you finish your reading assignments."

"Yes, **mother**," J sighed heavily, returned his seat to its full upright position, and started reading.

Half way to the Tendo's, Mir-aur looked down at her sword. The orb was dimly glowing. "He's here!" she told everyone happily. She picked up the pace, holding the sword in front of her as a guide. Cologne never objected to her actions, Mir-aur was making a bee line towards the Tendo's anyway. This was proving to be an interesting morning.

The orb was glowing brighter as they jumped over the dojo wall and entered the dojo. One end turned faintly pink as Cologne, Mir-aur, and Shampoo stood before Thanatos, who turned his head towards them as they entered. Shampoo told the other two women that this was the person she saw in Ranma's room, only that he had a black robe on earlier. Thanatos used his staff to stand up and face the trio.

"Who are you?" Cologne demanded. He did not answer. 

"What want with Airen?" Shampoo hollered. He did not answer.

"What relation are you to my husband?" Mir-aur asked, having spent her time inspecting the ornate head of his staff. She recognized the design, it was an ancient white magic device. 

"Husband?" he asked numbly, if not for the lack of expression in the question.

"My Na-chan, where is he?" Thanatos gave no response.

"You better start giving us answers," Cologne warned him.

"You are...Mirror?" There was the tiniest note of inflection in his otherwise cold voice.

"Yes. Now where is my Airen?!" the ivory headed healer repeated.

"Begone... I have no...time for you." Thanatos moved towards the door behind them. 

"Where you think going?" Shampoo drew one of her bonbori and blocked his path. He continued to walk forward, straight at her weapon. "Die!" Shampoo swung her bonbori at the man. 

A second later, the bonbori was embedded in the far wall of the dojo, and Shampoo was gasping for breath on the dojo floor. He continued walking out of the dojo, pace unchanged, and entered the house. 

"Did you...I didn't even.." Mir-aur stuttered. She knew now that the man knew her husband, and was probably his grandfather, if his voice was any indication. She turned to follow him. She needed answers.

_The lightning fist_, Cologne thought to herself. _And the way he walked... no bounce, no swinging of the shoulders or hips...that means.. He was levitating ever so slightly off the floor! Does that mean he knows magic? And if so, what kind?_

Shampoo regained her feet finally. "I get for that."

"No child. Let Mir-aur handle this. I doubt that he is a threat to Son-in-Law."

"Then why is here?" Shampoo asked curiously.

"I don't know. Let's wait to see what Mir-aur finds out. She knows better than you or I what we are dealing with." That thought caused no end of irritation to the wizened old woman. 

  
  


Thanatos was drinking some green tea next to his sister in the family room. She was watching the birds outside as they flitted around the Koi pond, one of Akane's dresses hanging loosely over her frame. Mir-aur stepped into the room, and was instantly greeted by Misa. "Hello! Who are you?" 

"I am Mir-aur, of the Joketsuzoku. I want to know where my husband is." The question was directed at Thanatos.

"Go back to... your village," Thanatos told her.

"I know you are related to him. You have all but told me as much, I merely ask where my beloved is!"

"Beloved? Was he not...a passing..fancy?"

"I would not have spent the last six years tracking him if he was only a childish crush," Mir-aur huffed indignantly.

"You've spent the last six years searching for us?" Misa asked in awe.

"No, for my husband. My sword tells me that you are related to him, quite strongly in fact. I demand to know where he is!"

"You know magic too?! Way cool!"

"I learned all I could to be worthy of my husband. I spent the last five years learning the art of healing and magic. I will not stand here quietly as you delay my reunion with my Airen!" She made a threatening slash with the weapon, and turned angrily on her heals, silently promising to return.

"How much...do you wish...to know?" Thanatos asked before she left the room.

She looked at him over her shoulder. "Everything you know."

"Very well." It almost sounded like a resignation, if not for the toneless voice. "We will...need to go...some place...private." He propped himself up with his staff and led the way back to the dojo. "Leave us," he told the two females there. Mir-aur nodded to them, and they silently left. 

Mir-aur sat across from Thanatos, both in a lotus position, their respective magical implements lying on their laps. "It's been a long time since I've seen a green dragon's scale. Who gave it to you?"

"Diggers."

"You know Dr. Theodore Diggers?" This was an interesting tidbit.

"Yes."

"So why did he give you a staff of life?" she asked. It was unusual for any mage to help prolong a life with that spell, as once all the energy in the staff was gone, there was no way to save the user. That and the user must always be in contact with the staff. Thanatos answered her question by pulling back his hood, which still cast a remarkably dark shadow, considering its airy nature. Mir-aur turned away as soon as she saw his face, and he moved the hood back. "That explains that. Now, where is my husband?"

"You want..to know...everything?"

"Yes!" 

"It will...take too...long to..talk. Do you...know any..telepathic...spells?"

"Yeah. It'll take a minute." Mir-aur chanted in some obscure language for a minute, then their minds connected. _This will last for only an hour, so talk quickly._

_Can you 'see' my thoughts? _Thanatos asked.

_Only the ones you want me to see._

_And you want to know everything?_

_Yes._

_Very well. _Thanatos drew in a deep breath, and then opened the floodgate. The one thought she didn't get was: _Foolish homo sapien._

  
  


"How long think she take?" Shampoo asked her great-grandmother. They were sitting with Misa drinking some tea. Misa sat watching them, eyes taking in every detail. Cologne was beginning to get annoyed with the girl. 

"What are you staring at?" Cologne growled.

"Nothing," Misa replied, in Mandarin.

"You know our tongue?" Cologne asked, honestly surprised. The girl looked like a total ditz. 

"A little," Misa nodded meekly.

"Who taught you?"

"Some friends," Misa answered, obviously trying to avoid Cologne's question. She wasn't a very good liar. Cologne was about to ask her another question when they heard a loud female scream emanating from the dojo.

J was aghast. "They can do all this stuff? Manipulate memory, possess the mind, fly, alter light waves to change appearance? They can do all this stuff?"

"Yes. And to answer your next question, they don't do it all the time because it takes a lot of energy. Energy we can read and find their location with."

"This isn't going to be an easy mission, is it?"

"Catch on real quick, don't you?"

  
  


"What's going on?" Cologne yelled as she blitzed into the dojo. Thanatos was silently sitting across from Mir-aur, who had curled up into a fetal ball, clutching her head. 

"What you do?" Shampoo demanded.

"Told her...what she... wished to know."

"And what was that?" Cologne asked incredulously.

"You will...know at the...proper time."

"Will she be all right?" Kasumi asked as she approached the group.

"Yes. Just a...little...overload."

"You didn't-?" Misa asked darkly. It was a tone that ill-suited her.

"Yes."

"Was that a good idea?"

"Yes."

"Just as long as you don't over-stress yourself. I really like her," Misa admitted.

"She knows."

"Then she'll definitely help us out," Misa proclaimed, ever the optimist.

"What you talk about?" Shampoo asked for the group. 

"It is not... your concern."

"Will you help me move her to the family room?" Kasumi asked sweetly. Shampoo used a fireman's carry to haul Mir-aur to the family room, where Kasumi placed a cold compress on her head.

"Airen...no," the woman shook her head in denial as a single tear rolled down her left cheek.

"I wonder what he told her?"

"I don't know Nabiki, but it wasn't something nice," Akane noted.

"He is a strange man," Cologne stated. "But she did want the truth, and she has it. Now she must live with it, whatever that truth may be."

"Think her Airen dead?"

"Maybe. We'll find out in due time."

"Breakfast is almost ready. I'm glad I made extra," Kasumi wrung out the cold compress and reapplied it.

********************

"So she knows everything?"

"Yes."

"You think she'll understand? I mean, when it's over?"

"I..don't know."

"I hope she does. I bet she's fun to play with!" She waited for him to respond. When he didn't, she spoke up again, "So, what do we do now, brother?"

Thanatos paused for a moment. "You'll need...clothing for...the trip."

"All right! Shopping!"

"Go with...Nabiki...and be..cautious...with your..words."

"You got it!" She ran into the house smiling.

  
  


"I guess I can take you shopping," Nabiki said, finishing her breakfast. The tingling in her mind that appeared when she was asked disappeared with her answer. _Gotta get that conscience fixed..._ "It won't matter if I miss another day of school. I'm ahead of everybody else anyway. Besides, I need to arrange financing for our trip."

"Great! Let's go!"

"Easy there kid. Let me tell Kasumi first."

*********

"I wonder when she'll wake up?" Kasumi mused out loud, after seeing Nabiki and Misa off. 

"Soon," Thanatos replied.

"What happened anyway?" Cologne asked.

"Telepathic....overload."

"Oh, I get it. You're so sick, you gotta concentrate on your breathing all the time. That's why you talk so funny. So she decided to speed things up with a telepathy spell, and you 'overloaded' her with information. I'm right, aren't I?" Cologne smirked.

"Yes."

"Will you fill us in on the details?"

"You are not...involved."

"Fair enough. Worth a try. I'll respect your privacy, even if you are a mage," Cologne lit up her pipe.

"You have...my..gratitude."

"Do you really know magic?" Kasumi asked. She always liked magicians. That bunny trick never ceased to amaze her.

"Some would...say so."

"That's nice." Mir-aur chose that moment to groan. "I think she's waking up."

"Oh, Airen..." Mir-aur sniffled. She opened her eyes to see Kasumi smiling at her.

"How do you feel?"

"I have a mother of a migraine," Mir-aur admitted. "I'll be okay in a little while."

"So...what did he tell you?" Akane asked for everyone.

"Well, you see.... It's kind of hard to understand. Thanatos is-"

"They won't...understand," Thanatos interrupted. Everyone in the room jumped, not even Cologne detected his entrance. 

"I understand," Mir-aur replied. "I won't tell them." She smiled gently at Thanatos. 

"Thanks for nothing," Akane hissed quietly.

"Your Airen is alive then?" Shampoo queried.

"..." Mir-aur's smile stayed on her face, only now it was struggling with the answer to that question.

"He is...elsewhere." Thanatos exited the room and returned to the dojo.

"That's nice. I'm happy for you miss.... Oh dear, I think I forgot to introduce myself. Where are my manners today?" Kasumi and the Amazons were soon joined in conversation.

  
  


J set down the report, again in shock. "L?"

"Yes?"

"Ethereals, I can accept. Flying, telepathy, telekinesis - I can accept. If it's alien. Are you guys trying to tell me that teenagers - human teenagers! - are as powerful as this?!" He exclaimed waving some papers called "Profile on the Nerima Wrecking Crew."

L could only smile.

  
  


Nabiki was having trouble carrying the bags. Actually, the bags were not that big a problem. It was the young girl who's newly bought clothes that were in those bags, she was the problem. Ever since leaving the dojo, she was bouncing off the walls. When they entered the mall, the brown haired dart buzzed right towards the toy stores. After checking out all the toys in a manner both swift and complete, she wasted no time blitzing to the food court. It took a large root beer and a banana split to calm her enough to go clothes shopping. Now that they were done shopping, the sugar rush seemed to hit the little girl. 

"Why isn't she like this when Mr. T is around? He's probably some energy draining monster sent by an evil dimension to gather energy to take over the world. Yeah, that makes sense," Nabiki set the bags down to stretch her back again. She also used the time to see how much farther the bank was. 

"Do you think the plane ride to America will be fun? I think it will be. I hope the pilot does loops and flips and rolls and stuff. It'd be like a rollercoaster. I love roller coasters don't you? They go way way up until you can't go any higher and you feel like you are on top of the world and then they go down real fast and you scream and scream 'cause it's so exciting and and and..." Finding nothing else to say, Misa bounced over to a nearby jewelry store and looked into the window. "They're all so pretty! Do you think my brother will buy one for me? I hope he does. I really like that one in the middle. I love necklaces."

Nabiki paid little attention to the girl. _I wish I had some Ritallin!_ "It's not too much further to the bank, Misa. Come on, we can look at the jewelry later."

"Okay Nabiki. Do you think they have any toys at the bank for me to play with?"

Nabiki could only groan. It was going to be a much longer day. _Days like this should be shot..._

  
  


"And here is your ticket ma'am. The first class lounge is down the corridor and on the left. An attendant will get you when it is time to leave."

"Thank you," Teri Watanabe smiled. She gracefully pocketed her ticket and strolled confidently down the corridor, her briefcase swinging ever so slightly. _Very soon....I will be done my mission. It is almost too easy..._ An evil smirk replaced the smile she had worn at the ticket counter.

  
  


To be continued........

  
  


Author's notes:

So here finishes the second chapter. C&C is welcome, be nice though. Flames are for the uneducated. 

I was going to include more, but the next chapter is the trip over, and everything fits better together if I put it there. There will only be three more chapters (at present estimate), however, I also have plans for continuation stories. I want to use certain characters in new and exciting ways. Also, I want to add to certain fanfic favorite plots. I see a very interesting way to....oops, almost let the secret out.

I should have most if not all the (first) Narthoron series posted on the website soon. I have the whole thing plotted out in my head, the problem lies in writing it to a satisfactory level. Only things I feel good about will ever see the light of day. (I work at night....)

Visit my website at [www.flamingwreckage.8m.com][1] and/or email me at [F22wannabe@aol.com.][2]

Guy 1:"Did you know a cockroach can live for up to two weeks without its head?"

Guy 2:"Yes. I have a headless cockroach with me actually. Can he ride in the car with us?"

Guy 1: "No."

Guy 2:"He doesn't talk much. He won't eat anything. Come on man! He's only got two weeks to live! Surely he deserves one last night out - a final bash!"

(An actual conversation between two people I know. Scary, ain't it?)

   [1]: http://www.flamingwreckage
   [2]: mailto:F22wannabe@aol.com.



	3. Epsilon Report: Appendix to Ch. 2

  
  
  
  


Epsilon Report

An analysis of the Ethereal Life form

Executive Summary

  
  


The Ethereal is the most recent of the alien terror species to emerge, with the first sighting being in November of nineteen-hundred and ninety-three. To assist our efforts in combating the ongoing alien threat, the X-Com squad in Asia was instructed to capture several Ethereals. The success of their efforts has allowed us to reach several conclusions about the Ethereal race. These findings are outlined in detail in the following report.

Ethereals are a class 5A threat invasive alien. They originated as a genetically manipulated race of beings on Mars, created by the 'Mother Brain.' They generally travel in battleships and are often accompanied by cyber-discs. Mutons have been theorized as underlings to the Ethereals as well.

The average ethereal is physically retarded and seems incapable of sustaining any life functions. The muscles are severely atrophied and the internal organs appear to be under-developed. The sensory organs, including the eyes, do not appear to function at all. It is a mystery as to how this creature can sustain itself without external support. 

The brain, however, is well developed and draws on a high proportion of the body's blood supply. This being has awesome mental powers which allow for telepathic communication and telekinetic abilities. The apparently weak physical abilities of this creature are sustained by its mental powers. We do not understand how these telekinetic powers work, since they seem to defy the laws of physics as we know them. 

However, through intense study, experimentation, and autopsies of recovered aliens, we have been able to understand the areas responsible for these abilities. Contrary to popular theory, the frontal lobes are not the primary area of activity during the use of telekinesis or telepathy. Electrical activity is highest in the Temporal lobes, then appears to be focused by the frontal lobes onto the target. The energy registered in the mind and the energy inflicted upon the target have no apparent correlation. This is the limit of our knowledge on telekinesis. 

Our studies of telepathy are much further advanced thanks to the invention of the Psi-amp, a remarkable device that amplifies the innate powers of the human's own temporal lobes. Telepathy appears to be related to the wavelength of the human brain. Thoughts in a human brain occupy a narrow range in the low kilohertz, and fluctuate slightly as hormones and oxygen supply change. A telepath is able to receive and broadcast thoughts on another person's frequency. Low level telepaths can read only the strongest images and offer subliminal messages, while high level telepaths can actually override the signals produced by the victim's own brain. Increasing the poser of the telepath was the motivation for developing the Psi-amp, as well as the Psi-emitter - a device designed to confuse telepaths and weaken the abilities of telekinesists. 

The side effects of prolonged telepathic connection are of serious concern. After as little contact as an hour, memories, personality quirks, and the like are exchanged both to and from the victim and aggressor. Contact for over twelve hours has resulted in the "twin" phenomena. The thought patterns between the two become so entwined that, even after breaking contact, the victim thinks like the aggressor, and the aggressor (to a lesser extent) like the victim. The victim, if ever near the aggressor, will often take on an advisory position to the aggressor, akin to a conscience. They will often pose each other questions and reach similar conclusions, due to the extensive mingling of their psyches. Both persons lose all sense of reality, which brings us to the most unfortunate part of telepathic attack. 

When a soldier or civilian is possessed - their mind completely subjugated - by an Ethereal, they are the puppet of the enemy. They have no control of what they do, although most are conscious during this time. (The longest recorded possession was three days, ending with the victim's death.) Ethereals are unable, or unwilling, to manage the body functions of their victims, and this leads to eventual shut down of many primary organs. Those who do survive have required a minimum of a year in psychiatric care before even being able to leave their rooms on their own. For these reasons, it is standard procedure to terminate any possessed.

It is important to note that the Ethereal race is not a perfect weapon. They are group thinkers, possessing a 'hive mentality.' The social structure is designed to protect the ranking officers above all others. Sacrificing one soldier to gain information or the possibility of possessing an opponent is not uncommon. Inversely, killing a high ranking member can cause temporary panic among lower troops. Also, the energy required to perform telepathy and telekinesis is enormous, limiting them to using their telekinesis for flying and panic or possession assaults with their telepathy. There are reported cases of Ethereals warping light to camouflage themselves, though these remain unsubstantiated. 

The Ethereal race has only one known 'eccentricity': their clothing. The clothes worn by an Ethereal denotes its rank, from 'soldier' to 'Base Commander.' Anyone below Base commander level wears a different form of the basic uniform: a large golden cloak. The Base commander is the only level at which the colors are inconsistent. Several have been green, two have reportedly been silver, and one was a dark purple. All the cloaks were made of the same fiber, a unique composition that all but eliminates their infra-red signature, making them more difficult to spot during their prime time of attack: night. 

Telekinesis and telepathy are not unlimited. Distance is the ultimate equalizer when facing an Ethereal. Therefore, it is standard procedure to use long range, area effect weapons, like incendiary rockets, blaster bombs, or heavy plasma weapons. These are almost always used from a secure sniper location. Stun bombs are only used when a 'test subject' is required. Psy-amp attacks are also discouraged, as a strong Ethereal can counter the attack and use the mental link to possess the soldier. 

  
  


The Appendices to this report contain more in-depth information and documentation concerning the Ethereal race.

  
  
  
  


Authors notes: 

I ain't making the Appendices. I've changed so much already, it's kind of pointless to add more useless information- information I've been adding, extrapolating, or rewording from the X-com game. I hope this info did enhance the story somewhat. It should at least set a basic guideline for future use of telepathy and telekinesis. By the way, class 5A is the highest level on a one to five scale with levels of C, B, and A sub-levels in a rising order. So 5A is the "we're pretty much screwed" level. 

[F22wannabe@aol.com][1]

[www.flamingwreckage.8m.com][2]

  
  


Later.

  
  


   [1]: mailto:F22wannabe@aol.com
   [2]: http://www.flamingwreckage



	4. The M.I.B. welcomes you to America

Narthoron

Chapter 3, v. 1.0

"Well, I'm gonna fly on down,

and fly away.

Well, alright."

Eels, 'Last Stop: This Town'

Disclaimer:Ranma and all other series that make sense probably don't belong to me. New characters have been inserted by myself for the express purpose of being inserted. They should serve a purpose sooner or later. I am not trying to make money off this stuff. If I was, I wouldn't be publishing it for free. If you feel I am infringing on a copyright, re-read the last sentence. That is exactly how much money I have, and you'll get.

  
  


Chapter 3: 'Oceans away' or 'The middle of the story'

  
  


A bright and cheerful Misa arrived at the Tendo home five minutes before her chaperon. She skipped happily into the family room, plunked herself down beside Thanatos, then promptly fell asleep. Nabiki was quite angry at the sight of the sleeping girl for some reason.

"In case anyone cares about where we've been," she snarled groggily, "I have the tickets all set for tomorrow morning. We leave at six thirty in the morning. We'll need to be there by three at the latest."

"I better pack then," Akane smiled. Nabiki tiredly watched her enthusiastic sibling depart for her room.

"I should too," Ranma sighed. He didn't want to go to America. Not as insurance for Nabiki anyway. _It's too late to back out now_.

"I will be joining you as well," Mir-aur announced. "I can pay my own way."

"I couldn't care less right now," Nabiki yawned. "I'm gonna pack and get some sleep. Misa's things are in the hallway."

"Good," Thanatos replied.

"Shampoo go too!"

"No," Cologne declared. "I want you to stay here with me. This is none of our business, even if Son-in-Law is going. I trust Mir-aur to keep an eye on him." Shampoo nodded reluctantly. She was not about to go against her Great-grandmother's wishes.

"You can count on me," Mir-aur nodded. "You never told me about how Ranma came to be your Airen anyway."

Thanatos sat silently, listening to the ceaseless chatter of the two Amazon warriors.

  
  


"I thought we would be watching their house," J grumbled. He was presently sitting next to L at the cafeteria of the Japan M.I.B.

"The middle Tendo sibling has booked plane tickets to America. We are booked in the seats three rows behind them. There is no point in wasting our energy before an eight hour flight. Especially since Agent Theta is already monitoring them."

"I suppose you're right. Man, those Ethereals are creepy. Butt ugly too."

  
  


Three A.M. the next morning:

Thanatos, Misa, Akane, Ranma, Nabiki, and Mir-aur rode the train in silence. They would arrive at the airport in ten minutes. Misa was sleeping with her head in Mir-aur's lap, snoring gently. Ranma and Nabiki were still half-asleep themselves. Only Thanatos, Mir-aur, and Akane were truly awake. Of them, only Akane seemed uneasy. When Mir-aur gave her a questioning look, Akane finally spoke.

"I just remembered, I've never had my passport made up. I don't think I can leave the country without one."

"Nabiki has...taken care of...it," Thanatos informed her.

"..."

  
  


The airport was busy. Even at three in the morning, thousands of people scurried about trying to meet their planes. They took time to scurry out of Thanatos's way though. He drew quite a lot of attention with his garb. It didn't surprise Nabiki at all that Customs left him alone; they scarcely looked at his passport, even less at him.

His presence might also explain why half the passengers decided to take the next flight. At least the crew didn't see him board - they probably would have done the same.

Two people who made certain they were on the flight were Agents J and L.

"First class?" Akane asked in disbelief.

"I'm not going to fly coach," Nabiki retorted.

"You think I can get some of those pilot wings?" Misa asked hopefully.

"...."

  
  


"At least I'm not sitting next to Akane," Ranma sighed quietly as he took a window seat.

"You dislike the youngest Tendo?" Mir-aur asked.

"It's not that... I just don't think this plane would hold up to well if she whipped out that mallet on me. I saw that movie where the plane gets a huge hole in it and crashes. I ain't gonna die like that."

"It sounds like you have a rather violent relationship."

"Yeah, if she isn't angry about me, she's angry about my other fiances, or she's angry about what my other fiances do to me. And she never takes it out on them. Noooooo, she's gotta hit me!"

"But she is nice when she isn't angry, right?" Mir-aur gave a knowing smile.

"..."

"So it is like that then," Mir-aur concluded. "I've heard the most interesting relationships are the ones that started out rivalries."

"It ain't interesting and hate don't make a rivalry," Ranma groused and glared out the window.

Mir-aur was laughing all the way through takeoff. 

  
  


Across the Pacific ocean, another airliner landed in Nevada, and Teri Watanabe departed to prepare. Executions take planning, after all. 

  
  


Three hours into the flight, Akane got bored. The movie sucked, the food was nearly as bad as her own (she would never admit it - that her's was bad as airplane food, that is), and Misa was grating on her nerves. A promise of pain and violence later, and Ranma had switched seats with her.

"Ah, much better."

"Is she that annoying?" Mir-aur inquired.

"She takes annoying to a new level."

"She doesn't seem that different from the children I grew up with."

"Well, Amazon villages aren't exactly the pinnacle of human society either," Akane huffed. "Take a look at Shampoo."

"So you think I'm annoying and primitive?"

"I didn't say that," Akane replied.

"But you implied it. That is the same thing. If I was a pure Chinese Amazon, I'd be forced to show you the error of your ways."

"I thought you came from Shampoo's village?"

"No. I lived there for a few years, but I was only part of an exchange program," Mir-aur admitted.

"Exchange program?"

"Yes. You see, the number of Amazons has steadily been declining. My home is no different. So an alliance was made to spread the knowledge of all the tribes to one another, so that the knowledge of all the tribes would be preserved even if one tribe should cease to exist."

"I suppose that makes sense."

"Of course it does. I was selected to learn the knowledge of Cologne's tribe and bring it back to teach my heirs and the Council. However, when I was defeated by my husband, tracking him down took precedence, and I was replaced. During my search, I met a wizard, also from my world, who knew white magic, and I have studied under him for nearly five years."

"Your world?" Akane asked, flabbergasted.

"Yes. I guess I should have told you all sooner, but it did not seem important. I am from another dimension. When I said the Amazon ranks are thinning, I meant everywhere. There is only one tribe of Amazons on any given Earth right now. My tribe was one of the first to branch out using our local magic, like the white magic I am learning. Naturally, my magic is not as effective here as it is back home."

"Why is that? Magic is magic, right?"

"Yes and no. Magic is dependent on many factors, like the dimension one is from. You see, in an infinite universe, there are infinite dimensions. Most people in a dimension think their dimension is the only universe in existence, so they mislabel it exactly that: a universe. But the universe is made up of these infinite dimensions. You understand?"

"It's way over my head."

"It gets simpler," Mir-aur smiled. "Now, since there is only one universe, there is only one Creator and one devil. These are the two sources for magical power. The Creator has only one style - white magic. It is the most powerful, but it is also the most difficult to gather, as a white magic user must always be at one with the Creator. The devil has all the other styles: red, green, and especially black magic. He is nowhere near as powerful, but he gives his power more easily and has no prerequisites.

"Now, the system of power, things like how the spells are cast, whose name is invoked, et cetera, depends on the religious system set up by the Creator. The problem lies within picking the correct one. Generally, the Creator makes it the most obvious one."

"So here it would be Christianity?" Akane asked.

Mir-aur wagged a finger. "Oh no! That would be cheating. I will say that most dimensions have the same system as your's, because most dimensions are direct offshoots of the original. You see, the Creator made one dimension initially, and allowed that dimension to spawn another one whenever there was a chance for something to change. And the same rules apply to that dimension and so on. The difference between two dimensions may only be that a blade of grass died."

"So does the creator have multiple versions of himself running all these systems?" Akane joked.

"No. He's the Creator. He's all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present. He doesn't need any help. He set them up in his own wisdom."

"So this dimension has it's own magic system?"

"It does, though I must add that it is dying out. I don't know why; it may have to do with the general lack of belief in magic. It is said the original has no magic at all, so I guess having very little is normal as well."

"What kind of things can you do?"

"Rule number one: a magician never reveals how powerful they are," Mir-aur smirked. 

"Fine, be that way."

A moment passed.

"You wouldn't be able to-"

"No Akane. Ranma's curse is beyond my abilities. He wasn't there when I told you that, and he still doesn't know. His heart would probably be broken if he learned the truth..."

"And what is that?"

"That would be cheating as well," Mir-aur replied softly.

Another moment of silence passed, as each woman searched for a safe subject to discuss. 

"What are you going to do when this is all over?" Akane asked.

"Once I reunite with my husband, I plan on going home. It is time I started a family. My husband and I have a lot of catching up to do."

"Why did he leave you?"

Mir-aur winced at the question. "Some questions are best left unasked."

"Sorry. Just curious."

"Besides, you should be paying more attention to your own relationship. Why, if I was Ranma, I'd be in Shampoo's arms in no time flat."

"Why should I care about that idiot?!"

"My point exactly. One of these days he'll finally figure out the math, and he'll leave you for good. Shampoo's better for him anyway," Mir-aur nodded in agreement with herself.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Akane growled.

"It is quite simple dear. You hit him all the time, while Shampoo doesn't. Shampoo brings him all the food he can eat, while you...well, let's say I've heard some stories. Shampoo is a much better fighter, and living with her will give Ranma access to techniques even more powerful than the ones he knows. Staying with you will mean staying in a polluted city with no hope for adventure. Top it all of with both of your violent vehemence towards each other, and the equation isn't that hard to solve. But you've already said you couldn't care less, so I don't really need to explain that, do I?"

"I- I guess so." Akane's voice betrayed the confusion she was now experiencing.

Mir-aur smiled smugly to herself. Despite promising to keep an eye on the couple to Cologne, her simplest divination spell had allowed her access into Akane's mind. The girl could not admit her feelings for the boy, but that was a minor piece of the puzzle Mir-aur was beginning to unravel. The girl had serious inadequacy problems, and she needed to deal with them. _Nothing snaps a person out of self-pity than a swift kick in the ass and a bitter swig of reality, _Mir-aur thought to herself.

Another three hours of flight deposited our travelers at the Oakland International Airport, from where they boarded another plane bound for Los Vegas. Thanks to modern equipment and computer algorithms, their luggage would arrive in three to seven days as well. An M.I.B. agent escorted J and L to a local M.I.B. barracks as Mir-aur rented a car for the group. 

"I can't believe you have to be twenty-five to rent a car here," Nabiki grumbled. She had forgotten to look into it. "So," she addressed the group, "shall we eat or sleep first?"

"We shall..continue..on," Thanatos declared. "Time is..of the...essence."

"Look pal, even if we did leave right now, it will be night before we reach the army base."

"That is...fine."

"I don't think you get the picture, Mr. T. I need sleep. We all need sleep. They'll still be there tomorrow. I say we get some rest so we are better prepared to deal with these people tomorrow."

"I can drive while the rest of you sleep," Mir-aur offered. "I'm used to long distance traveling."

Thanatos nodded once and led the way out of the terminal.

"I call the backseat," Nabiki bit out.

Unnoticed by the group was a janitor vacuuming behind them. As they left, he lifted his walkie-talkie to his mouth and told M.I.B. headquarters everything he overheard. 

  
  


"So they're heading for this army base?" J asked as he pointed to a spot on the holographic display.

"It's the only one they can reach in the time frame we've been supplied," L answered. "The road out to it is desolate, so we will set up an ambush roughly halfway to the base. Night will be falling, so camouflaging ourselves won't be difficult. We'll use a shoulder mounted plasma rocket to destroy the target. The fireball will also destroy the immediate vicinity, but our cleanup crews can easily repair the damage by morning."

"So we're just going to kill them all? Isn't that a bit overboard?"

"It is standard procedure, J. That army base has nuclear weapons. We can't risk the Ethereal getting access to them."

"If you say so; I still don't like it."

"Neither do I, but the safety of the Earth takes priority over some teenagers," L commented. 

"The sunset is pretty," Misa commented from the front seat.

"Yes, it is," Mir-aur smiled. 

"How much farther is it anyway?" Ranma asked quietly. Nabiki and Akane had fallen asleep two hours ago.

"Another hour or two."

"I wanna listen to the radio!" Misa interrupted for no good reason. She turned the knob and fiddled with the controls while Ranma and Mir-aur wondered why she felt the need to announce that.

  
  


"Target is inbound at seventy miles-per-hour," L informed J as she looked through her binoculars. "Two minutes until showtime."

  
  


Misa finally settled onto a station and smiled happily as the song began. "This is one of my favorites," she admitted.

*****

___Tired _

_and jaded, _

_this road is unsafe._

_*****_

"I didn't know you knew English. You certainly are smart for your age," Mir-aur complemented. 

*****

_Have you been there?_

_Have you been there?_

_*****_

"I've got the target in my sights," J said. "Just a little bit closer..."__

_*****_

_But time,_

_is on your side;_

_you're too stubborn to wait._

_*****_

"Don't fire yet. We need to be as close as possible, so they don't have anytime to dodge. A rocket isn't like a bullet; it needs a little time to accelerate."__

_*****_

_Are you listening?_

_Are you listening?_

_They want you to know,_

_They want you to stay,_

_oh but it's too much to take._

_*****_

"They aren't going to dodge this one," J pointed out. He concentrated on the van and tensed his trigger finger. _Focus... Lead the target..._ __

_ *****_

_So you're running;_

_you're running away!_

_Nooo! Nooooo!_

_*****_

Thanatos swivelled his head sharply towards J's location as the agent pulled the trigger. A quarter of a second later, the rocket was out of the tube and the engine ignited. __

_*****_

_It's more than I can bear._

_It's more than I can bear._

_*****_

The flash of the rocket engine igniting caught everyone's attention. Mir-aur instinctively turned away from it. But it was too late.__

_*****_

_Car crash!_

_*****_

A ball of plasma fire surrounded the vehicle and burned brighter than the sun for the few seconds it existed. Somewhere, a radio finished playing the song...__

_*****_

_Ending your day_

_at the side of the road._

_Are you trembling?_

_Are you trembling?_

_They'll wake up today_

_to the papers that say:_

_"Oh well, it was too hard to tell."_

_He was swerving!_

_They were swerving!_

_Much too late!_

_Noooo! Nooooooo!_

_ It's more than I can bear._

_It's more than I can bear._

_It's more than I can bear._

_It's more, it's more, it's more!_

_Noooo! _

_It's more than I can bear._

_It's more than I can bear._

_More._

_More.._

_More..._

  
  


Author's notes:

Mwahahahahahahahahaha! I had to get this song in somewhere. The title is 'Car Crash' by Our Lady Peace. The fourth chapter shall conclude this story, with another chapter serving as an epilog. Sorry this one is so short. In case you are wondering, I have no qualms about killing main characters, even the ones I insert. 

Plasma, by the way, is the fourth state of matter. It also makes a great weapon, although a rocket would not be an effective way of delivering it. But we're talking about the M.I.B. here; they have their own set of rules.

Phrase of the day:

"I thought I was wrong. But I was mistaken."

- A professor I know.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. A Close Knit Family?

Narthoron

Disclaimer: 

Take a wild guess. Really, take a guess. I bet you can figure out what usually goes here. If you can't, I pity you.

What has gone before (in no nonsense form):

The M.I.B. tracked what they think was an Ethereal to the Tendo home. This entity and the girl with him, convinced some of the Tendos to go to America. They were heading towards an Army base when they were ambushed by the M.I.B. 

  
  


Chapter 4: From the Flames of Death

Focus... Agent J thought as he aimed his rocket launcher at the van. 

In a sparsely populated desert, these strong, coherent thoughts shone like a beacon to any nearby telepath. Thanatos jerked his head towards Agent J's ambush location as the rocket left the tube.

The rocket ignited a quarter second later, and flew straight at the white vehicle.

Mir-aur and the others saw the flash of the rocket igniting. By the time she started jerking the wheel to dodge, the rocket was upon them.

The rocket exploded, unleashing a small sun of plasma fire on the target, incinerating everything in a fifty foot radius.

***

Ryoga walked angrily over a small dune. "Funny, I thought China had more jungle. Or was that Cairo? Damn you Ranma! Stealing Akane to do..to do.. Whatever you're planning on doing! You will pay!" 

Agent L turned around as she heard the inane ranting of a person who shouldn't be out in the desert. We're two hours from any civilization... She heard the explosion behind her as she pulled her gun out and ordered the boy to freeze.

Ryoga halted his raving and his feet when he was confronted by a gun toting woman. He also caught the tail end of the burning plasma ball and Agent J still kneeling with the Rocket launcher on his shoulder. His following thoughts went on the order of: Crap! These people look dangerous. They recently finished frying something (he couldn't contemplate there being a somebody in the something). I caught them doing it. I have two choices: run or capture them.

Never being one to run, Ryoga picked up the nearby car and threatened them with it. "Put your weapons down and give up or I'll have to take you down!"

Agent L was mildly shocked. This teenager had just picked up their patrol car and yelled back at her in some language she could not understand instead of dropping to the ground and quivering as all good citizens are supposed to do. 

The stalemate was forgotten as J's comment floated loudly through the air. "What the f-?"

***

Ranma somehow knew this was the end. He had beaten everything ever thrown at him, run the farthest distances ever put on Earth to run, eaten the best of foods and the worsts of foods in the same day, hell, he even turned into a girl and had overcome that handicap. Now, seatbelt holding him snugly to a stained blue seat in a van with a missile heading towards it, it all seemed so pointless. He wanted to make some long romantic speech to Akane before he died, but he only got out the 'Aka-' in Akane before the world blew up.

One must wonder how odd every person in that car would feel if they were to ever find out how alike their thoughts were at this moment. 

Ranma blinked when he did not feel a shockwave coinciding with the painful light engulfing him. He squinted, trying to make out what was around him; it was too bright. With no way to see his surroundings, he reached out with his other senses and that was when he felt it.

Ranma scolded himself for not sensing it earlier as his jaw dropped in awe of the power around him. "Pure chi! It's all..." It was wrapped around the entire vehicle, strongest near the middle, and beginning to buckle at both ends. It was centered on Thanatos. He's so frail. How can this be? Then he noticed the splits in Thanatos's chi.

Nearly half of it was flowing into and out of Misa. Two other major veins stretched off into the horizon, towards the Army base. A minor one, hardly a wisp, snaked over to Mir-aur. "Is that why he is so weak?" Ranma asked the air around him. "Why is he sharing his life force if he's dying?" It clicked then. "Is that why he is dying?" The envelope of protection was breaking by the back bumper, and the car was heating up. 

Only one other person sensed Thanatos' energy as well as Ranma did. Truth be told, it resonated much deeper in her. Nabiki's mind was overcome by the power, a power she felt uncomfortably familiar with. If only I could remember where! Something is blocking my memories... Her consciousness collapsed on itself as that barrier fell.

***

Almost halfway across the world, Cologne looked up from her tea and to the east. She could see a plume of chi flowing from the horizon. The distance made it impossible to determine whose it was. The power of it was stifling nonetheless; Saffron was a candle compared to this spotlight. "Please be careful son-in-law. Please be careful...I can feel something coming; bigger than all of us."

***

Teri Watanabe paused halfway over the security fence. "I don't have much time," she mumbled to herself. She rolled her black body suit clad body onto the inside of the fence. A short leap and light landing later, she was running into the darkness, briefcase in hand. 

Inside the same base, Isamu Watanabe finished loading his forty-five caliber pistol. "I will stop you. Both of you," he promised the darkness.

***

Agent J shielded his eyes as the plasma ball burned. It slowly waned, and dissipated after an eternity of three seconds. An area of sand, cacti, and old pavement was now glass and molten tar. The power it required to do such damage was awe inspiring. The fact that the target was unscathed was doubly so. "What the f-?"

***

Do you know any cloaking spells? 

Not questioning where the question came from, or that her ears had not heard it, Mir-aur answered truthfully as the plasma failed to fry her. "No. White magic is only healing, divination, and protection spells." By the time she finished, the plasma was gone. She slammed the accelerator and didn't look back.

Thanatos crumpled into the seat. Misa fainted in the front one. The energy required to save their lives was beyond any they had ever used before. Akane noticed something else first. 

"Thanatos's staff is nearly all white now!"

Mir-aur risked a glance in her rearview mirror to confirm it. "Judging by how much Jade is left, he has no more than ten hours. He must have used over a week's worth of his life to save us."

"We've gotta help him!" Ranma stated the obvious.

"The only thing we can do is reunite him with his family before he dies." She turned her attention back to the road and pressed harder on the pedal - to no avail; it was already floored.

***

"Drop the car!" L commanded. She should have shot the horrifically strong punk by now, considering the Ethereal had managed to survive the plasma attack. Agent J was calling in an X-com team while she dealt with the car problem. Inspiration! She pulled out her sunglasses and neuralized the boy. Unfortunately, the now brainless teenager dropped the car onto the hillside, and it rolled over twice before stopping - on its roof. 

Agent L groaned in dismay. That was a brand new car! 

Ryoga took a step towards her then reversed direction and was not seen for several days. For the first time in his life, he not only was lost, but he had no idea he was lost. Later, he wouldn't even be able to recall that.

"Hey L, what happened to the car?"

***

"Beautiful," Zed moaned. "At least we planned for this. Where's the X-com unit now?"

"They are presently circling the base. E.T.A. five minutes to interception at maximum speed," a tech replied.

"What kind of payload are they carrying?"

"Internal cargo is a standard squad of three hover tanks and twelve men in flying power armor. External armament consists of one plasma cannon and one fusion ball launcher."

"You know what to tell them. Be sure to fire the fusion balls first." Those make the plasma ball seem like a cherry bomb.

***

Colonel Alan Reynolds turned his Avenger interceptor/transport sharply and aligned the craft to the highway below. He held the course steady as his gunner aimed. 

"Thirty seconds until we're in range." The gunner took a moment to glance at his pilot. "A fusion ball is a bit much, isn't it?"

Reynolds sighed. The naivete of youth. "No it is not. All of you are too young to have served during the last alien invasion. The Ethereals were the deadliest of all of 'em. F***in' took over people's minds. We had to shoot our own soldiers in the middle of combat. So no, I don't think a fusion ball is a 'bit much!'"

"Uh, understood, sir." The gunner returned to his sights. "Ten seconds... nine..."

***

The fusion ball was the mightiest weapon ever developed by mankind for use on an aircraft. Equivalent to a tactical nuclear weapon, it was designed to cripple alien spacecraft, if not destroy them utterly. The launcher attached to the outside of the craft shot a mass of hydrogen atoms inside an electromagnetic field. After leaving the launcher, a second blast was fired into the first one, causing the hydrogen atoms to begin fusing together. When the fusion ball hit a target, its intense electromagnetic field would break, allowing the immense power inside to escape. With heat around two million degrees centigrade, it vaporized everything in a quarter mile radius. Alien alloy, the strongest known metal, would last a half second before melting. Only the sheer size of alien spaceships allowed them to survive. The Avenger was capable of firing two of these fusion balls. 

***

"Two... One! Fire!" 

The initial shot screamed out of the launcher. Once it cleared the Avenger's immediate area, the 'exciter' shot followed. The bright orange ball zoomed off at twenty five times the speed of sound.

***

Telekinesis and telepathy has several strange quirks inherent in their capabilities. The most useful, and conversely the easiest to obstruct, is their sensitivity to electrical fields. Indeed, they rely on electricity and frequencies to do most of their manipulations. This is the primary reason most telepaths avoid civilization. It is also a helpful warning device, since intruders in the night generally rely on electronic devices to enhance their vision. The electronic field of a flashlight in a forest lies along the lines of an explosion for noticeability among the adept. 

The electromagnetic field of a fusion ball makes nuclear powerplants feel like a key-chain flashlight.

However, at Mach twenty-five plus, generally it was too fast for this information to be useful, considering the range of the fusion ball is a mere fifty miles. (The electromagnetic field surrounding the fusing hydrogen can only last that long.)

That gave our traveling gang six seconds to live.

***

Thanatos, despite his exhausted state, easily detected the weapon coming for them. Unfortunately, he did not have enough power to deflect the ball of destruction zooming towards them. A being of no emotions, he quickly calculated all possible escape routes. I need power... Misa has been drained, as has myself. Mir-aur is driving, and I'll need Ranma for later. Nabiki has as negligible amounts in her. That leaves Akane. 

He turned to the girl in his thoughts, sitting distraught in the seat behind him. He barely wasted the time to note Nabiki had fainted. He caught Akane's attention by calling her name. "Come here child." She leaned forward and closed the gap between them to a foot.

"What is it?"

"I need you...to.." Thanatos lifted his left hand weakly towards her head. 

"To what?" She gingerly held his gloved hand, although she allowed it to finish its journey to her forehead.

"Lend me..your strength." Akane stiffened as Thanatos stole her chi.

"What is that glowing?" Mir-aur cursed the orange light coming towards her. 

***

"One second to impact!" the gunner announced.

Die you bastard, Reynolds grinned darkly. And may you roast in the blackest hell!

"Impact!" 

Two seconds later, the shockwave of displaced air rocked the plane.

"Confirm target destroyed?" Reynolds asked, as was custom. He had little doubt to the answer.

"Air to ground radar is coming back online. The radiation should settle down in a second." The gunner's anxious eyes swept the screen for any signs of life. "We have a moving object heading west-northwest at a steadily decelerating rate...it has leveled off at one hundred miles per hour." The gunner leaned back in shock. "We missed! Unbelievable!"

Reynolds growled. "This is not your average Ethereal."

***

Ranma and Mir-aur watched in horror as the sky turned orange. Their concentration elsewhere, they did not see the power Thanatos was leaching from Akane. It was not much (stealing chi is a highly wasteful process) but it was enough. Concentrating on the action, he willed the vehicle to move faster. The vehicle nearly left the road as occupants were slammed into their seats by the acceleration. Thanatos redirected some of the power to the front of the van; it wouldn't do to have the van rip itself apart at nine hundred miles per hour, now would it? This sprint lasted for two seconds, more than long enough to place them well outside the immediate blast area. Thanatos quit pushing the car and surrounded it with a shield of air, allowing the shock wave to pass calmly over the van.

Akane slumped unconscious as Thanatos's hand slipped off her forehead. Ranma easily caught her before she hit her head in a painful way and leaned her carefully onto the seat. "Will she be alright?"

"Yes," Thanatos answered. "Some rest...is all...she needs."

"That's the second time you saved our bacon," Ranma sighed. "Why is everybody trying to kill us?"

"They fear me," Thanatos explained coldly. Ranma began to wonder if he should take their advice. He was finally getting the vague suspicion that something was not right here. 

I recognize that weapon. They were only theorizing about it when I left. I never thought they would be able to build it. If I was not so weak I could stop them. If we had more time, I would not be following such a foolish course. In the end, will we succeed? Or is it our fate to die a second time? 

***

Dodging a fusion ball was a rare occurrence, but it was feasible. Fusion balls could only travel in straight lines. Surviving a fusion ball blast was harder, but the balls were so powerful they snuffed themselves out after a second. There simply was not enough hydrogen or pressure to sustain them. Even the shock wave could be weathered if one positioned themself correctly. It was rare, but it had happened. 

"And only when you most need them to work," Col. Reynolds muttered to himself. "Let's bring her around for another shot."

"Aye, Aye Colonel," the gunner chirped. "The second fusion ball is already loaded and I'm priming the plasma cannon. In case lightning strike twice."

"Or not strike, as the case may be," the Colonel pointed out.

***

The army base Teri was presently infiltrating was on a growing state of alert. The bright flare of an unnervingly close explosion, of even more worrisome size, had made everyone edgy. Guards in full battle gear were presently fortifying key positions, while others rolled out light and heavy armor. Several Apache helicopters had crews scrambling to arm them while the pilots started rushed pre-flight checks. Officers were contacting every defense department and base in America, trying to find out what was going on. A few shouts about World War Three rang out into the night over the rumble of activity. 

Teri paused to let a patrol pass before continuing her passage in the shadows. The barracks should be near here. Spotting the building she wanted, she rushed across the street and slid inside the door. A mental spike hit her as she entered. I can feel you brother. Don't worry, I'll be with you soon. Her lips curled up as she silently headed for the first barrack door.

Isamu Watanabe felt his mind shiver as his sister neared him. She's in the building. It is time to end this. 

***

There was not enough time to talk. Thanatos knew that they would be targeted again. How and by what, he was not certain. The only one who can protect us is Mir-aur. He focused his mind and 'spoke' to Ranma and Mir-aur: Ranma, drive the van. Mir-aur, we need a shield. We will be attacked again.

Ranma and Mir-aur complied instantly. Being shot at has a way of making people work together. Ranma slid between the front seats and slipped his foot onto the gas pedal while grabbing onto the steering wheel. Mir-aur made sure he had a tight grip on the wheel before reclining the driver's seat and crawling into the back. "I'll need at least ten minutes to form a shield that can withstand one of those blasts we almost got hit with," she informed them.

"Do we have that much time?" Ranma asked, returning the seat to a more comfortable position without tearing his eyes off the road. Driving's not as hard as people claim it is. 

"No."

"Then what do we do?" Mir-aur asked. Thanatos sent his thoughts into her mind. "That's insane!"

*** 

Teri pressed her back gently against the wall. With her left hand, she gripped the doorknob. Her wrist turned it ever so slightly, the motion too slow to cause any squeaks. She nearly jumped out of her skin as something cold clicked pressed behind her ear and clicked.

"Don't try anything," Isamu warned his sister. "I won't hesitate to pull the trigger."

"And hello to you too," Teri mocked him. "Why don't you put the toy away and let me finish my business?"

"I'm not going to let you kill him."

"What's so special about this one? I've killed all the others. Where were you when they died? Surely, that ambassador was more important than this peon?"

"They weren't my superior officers," Isamu growled. "You know how many times we worked with this man?"

"And then he went and stabbed us in the back. Real nice of him. He deserves to die for what he did!"

"He was following his orders. Just like we did when we served."

"And what about our family? Are you going to let him get away with that?!"

"A man cannot go against orders without tainting his honor. No matter what those orders are," Isamu replied. "We should strive to be half as honora-"

"Quit the honor and duty crap! We never posed a threat. They knew we would have gladly retired. Instead they slaughtered our father! And our mother! And our grandfather! They hunted us down and used our friends as bait. Now I am returning the favor. And once the others get here, it will all be over for us. We'll be whole again."

"I could pull the trigger and kill you. That would stop things pretty fast."

"You won't. You'd kill us all. You'd never kill an innocent. Our sister is as tied to me as she is to you. With one of us gone, the others will soon follow."

"Sometimes the dead should stay dead," Isamu stated.

***

Misa groggily opened her eyes. It was dark enough Ranma needed the headlights to see. She rolled her head to see Mir-aur chanting in the back, using a language gruff like Russian, yet smooth in a French way. Yawning, she turned her attention to the road ahead. At the edge of her senses, she could hear her family fighting. Struggling through her fatigue, she forced her thoughts off into the horizon.

Distance was her enemy. Telepathy acted like radio: the strength of the broadcaster limited the range of the reception. Pushing the limits of her endurance, she struggled to reach the combatants. Their signals were well hidden under the 'noise' of the base. She followed the little she could find to her targets. With a final push, she entered both of their minds.

"You make me sick! By siding with him you make a mockery of our heritage!" Teri yelled.

"It is you who dishonors our family. Revenge killings are a below our stature. I should kill you for all the crimes you have committed," Isamu replied.

Why are you two always fighting? Misa interrupted. 

"We don't see eye to eye," Teri smirked.

"Things like having an assassin for a sister makes it difficult to get along," Isamu added.

"I would stop being an assassin in ten seconds if you would let me finish my business," Teri mock chided.

"I'll kill you before-"

No! I don't want anybody to get hurt!

"I can see now why she's the one with telepathy. It requires a compassionate mind," Teri said.

Please, don't hurt anybody, Misa pleaded. We'll be there soon, and we can all be together again. Like a real family. Ahh! With that final cry, Misa lost contact. She again slumped in her seat, panting heavily from the expenditure. Ranma darted his eyes to her in concern, but his responsibilities kept him from tending to her.

***

"She deludes herself," Isamu sighed.

"What did you expect? She has the mind of a child." And she's not the only one deluding themselves, she thought as she spun herself around, knocking Isamu's gun away before striking him with her briefcase.

***

"Target is lined up, and all firing systems read green."

"Then fire at will," Colonel Reynolds replied.

The gunner complied and began another countdown. "Four seconds to impact."

***

"It is coming," Thanatos informed. Misa, I need you to locate the people firing on us.

Okay. I'll try. But I'm really tired.

You can sleep all you want afterwards. Quickly now. Thanatos turned his thoughts to Mir-aur. Are you ready?

"Yes, but the spell won't last very long after release it." Mir-aur motioned to the glowing ball of energy between her hands. "Three seconds tops." 

Surround the blast then.

Mir-aur turned the blast in the direction of the incoming orange glow and sent it on its way. It arced left as it flew through the air, the magic guiding itself to the target Mir-aur wished. It collided with the fusion ball and instantaneously enwrapped itself around it. It hung in the air, awaiting further instructions. 

Where are they? Thanatos asked Misa.

Behind and to the slightly to the left. Very high up. Flying straight. Misa had the forethought to 'speak' to both Thanatos and Mir-aur. She fell into a deep sleep as soon as she finished.

Send the ball up and left as fast as possible. 

***

"It stopped!" the gunner cried. "Now it's reversing direction! It's coming straight for us!" Col. Reynolds dived the plane left. "Can't you turn any faster?" he got out through the twelve g's they were pulling. 

Col. Reynolds would have responded that they were flying too fast for more extreme evasive maneuvers. No amount of armor or sophisticated equipment could completely overcome the limits of a human being. Avengers can fly at Mach ten easily - in a straight line. Turning at that rate of speed was a joke. The arcs had to be gentle or the pilots would black out. Flying at half that speed, as they were, had the same limitation. If they could cut their speed faster, they could have dodged more. Unfortunately for them, Avengers are designed to cut through the air better than any hot knife could ever cut through butter. They were simply flying too fast.

The fusion ball exploded five hundred feet away from the Avenger. It had finally overcome the magic around it and ripped the heavens asunder. The blast tore the right wing off the Avenger, sending its flaming wreckage down to Earth's deadly embrace.

***

"Please tell me I did not just see our Avenger disappear from the scope?" Zed asked. No one had the courage to do so. "Scramble the closest X-com unit."

"The target will be at the military base before the squad could reach them," a tech pointed out.

"That base will be on high alert after seeing all these explosions. Pray they shoot first and ask questions later."

***

"You're very fast, sister," Isamu wiped some blood off his chin.

"And you're as dense as ever, brother," she sneered. She pressed a button on her briefcase, releasing hidden clamps and allowing the sides to slip away. She hefted the revealed gun single-handedly at her brother. 

"You forget, that gun is useless to you."

"And you forget, it can fire regular bullets as well."

"The rules apply to you as much as they do to me. If you kill me, we all die," Isamu reminded her.

"Who said I was shooting you?" She rotated the muzzle slightly to the right.

The door behind Isamu opened. "Sergeant Watanabe?! Why aren't you outside with-" 

A gun retort finished his sentence. And finished much more.

Teri had little time to savor her victory. Isamu charged her even as she pulled the trigger. She attempted a fighting withdraw out of the barracks and fled out of the base, somehow staying in the shadows and avoiding security. 

Isamu charged after her, pulling whatever troops he ran into with him.

***

"Another plane...is coming," Thanatos stated. A minute later, four apache helicopters buzzed over the van. Two broke off and raced to catch up with the van. The one to the left fired warning shots in front of the van, attempting to get it to pull over.

"Look like helicopters to me," Ranma said.

Disable their tail rotors, Thanatos ordered Mir-aur. Act like you are pulling over, Ranma. 

Ranma was down to sixty miles per hour before two white streaks hit each helicopter in their tails. As they spun around, the Apaches were unable to return fire. They were able to get a warning out to their base before roughly hitting the ground. Due to pilot skill and rugged construction, nobody died in the crashes.

***

Teri was well past the fence and scampering towards her hidden motorcycle by the time Isamu reached the fence. He swore loudly and ran for the nearest hummer. He pulled the driver out of the seat and left the soldiers he had gathered earlier to explain what was going on.

***

Good, Thanatos thought to himself. They are leaving the base. We are getting very close. Another five minutes and we shall finish this business. 

***

"Thanks for stoppin' ta pick us up," Agent J said to the captain. 

"Sit down and shut up. I'm not waistin' more than a minute on yer ass."

"Grouchy guy, isn't he?" J asked L as he sat down.

"It's been a long night for everyone. I'm sure they had friends aboard that other Avenger."

"Think they'll try the fusion balls again?"

"No. We know the Ethereal redirected at least one of those blasts. Plus, the army is moving in on the Ethereal. It will be hard to cover up any deaths that a fusion ball would cause."

"So it's a ground war?"

"Essentially. Everyone here - besides us - is trained to use psi-amps. We'll keep it confused long enough for us to pick him off with a sniper shot."

***

Teri skidded to a halt as the headlights of the van came into view. Checking behind her, she could see a vehicle approaching. She knew instinctively it was Isamu. She gunned her engine and met the van, which pulled over a moment before she reached it. 

Ranma immediately jumped out of the van. "God, I need to stretch!" 

Mir-aur shuffled towards the sliding door, where Thanatos stopped her. It'd be best if you stayed in here.

"What do you mean?" 

Thanatos spiked her mind, sending her into unconsciousness. She fell bonelessly onto the empty seat behind her. The act seemed to rouse Misa. "Are we there yet?"

"Yes." They both exited the vehicle.

"Hello, brother, sister," Teri smiled.

"Greetings. All is well?" Thanatos asked.

"Except for brother." Teri motioned over her shoulder to the incoming headlights.

"So....what do we do now?" Ranma asked.

Thanatos lightly grabbed Ranma's arm and walked him to the back of the van. He raised his hand to Ranma's temple and entered Ranma's mind. I brought you here for a purpose, Ranma. 

"I already figured that out. But now that yer finally talkin', why did you drag us along?"

Thanatos did not bother to reprimand Ranma for speaking out loud instead of thinking his response. My purpose is twofold: we need protection, and because you are...unique.

"I don't understand."

That is to be expected. In my present state, I am very weak. I have but a few hours to live; less than that if all goes to plan. I am not strong enough to hold off those that will come for me. I need you to promise me that you will protect me from those who are coming to kill me.

"Why would they want to kill you?"

I am a dangerous being. I can see in your memories that you have faced a demi-god. I am far more powerful than him. Or, I used to be. Those in power fear my power, and have stopped at nothing to kill me. 

I am not a malicious being, Ranma. You have orders and prerogatives that you are compelled to follow, and I have mine. Should I be hunted down for what I find is right? 

"No...at least, I don't think so. As long as-"

I agree. Now, I must know if you will protect me.

"Yes. I will do my best."

Good. However, I am compelled to ask that you not try your best.

"But you just said you wanted-"

I have reason. You are not normal, Ranma. I am even less so. You are above the homo sapien race. You have abilities, yet untapped, that would make you a god amongst men. The reason I tell you this is to warn you: do not tap those powers! They will inspire fear amongst all you love, hatred in your enemies, and dark plots by those who would exploit you. Right now, your life is your own. If you wish to keep it that way, you must not try to develop those powers.

"I don't understand. I mean, I've always known I was different. Throwing chi blasts and all, but I get the feeling there is something more to what you're saying."

Yes. However, we have no more time to talk. Isamu is here.

Thanatos glided over to the group of people, and the newly arrived hummer. Isamu all but ripped the door off its hinges as he exited the vehicle. He immediately pointed an M-16 assault rifle at the group. "It seems I can run from you no longer, brother."

"So it does," Thanatos replied. Come, join us. We can be complete again.

"I won't be controlled by you any longer! All these years, I've had your voice bouncing around in my head. Telling me to do this, or do that. I resisted, tooth and nail, but you always seemed to win. I realize now that you were stringing me on, playing on my honor. It won't happen again," Isamu promised.

I never forced you to do any thing. It was always your own conscience you fought. Your will is the same as mine; your goals the same as mine. We are four separate quantities, yet we are one. It is you who has been warring with illusions. 

"NO! I have been following Bushido! I am not like you!"

Wrong. You are me. Just as I am you, and Teri, and Misa. Our power was separated so many years ago. It is fate for us to be rejoined; to return to what we once were. With our vengeance complete, this will be our final victory over those who sought to kill us. 

"No. It is time we return to the grave." Isamu's finger tensed on the trigger.

"I don't want to die again!" Misa cried. Isamu's determination wavered with the girl's sobbing. With Isamu distracted, Thanatos invaded his mind.

***

"We are showing a cluster of ground vehicles and people on the FLIR."(Forward Looking Infra-Red.)

"Okay people. We'll carry out a by-the-numbers assault drop half a click from the target. Spread out and take any shot that is available. We will join you on the ground shortly."

Agent J finished tightening the straps on his jet pack. Actually, he called it a jet pack. In all honesty, he was wearing an anti-gravity device. Powered by elerium - an alien fuel that looked akin to a green crystal - it warped gravitational fields, condensing the gravity above the wearer, thus drawing them upwards and away from normal gravity. He turned to Agent L, who also was checking over her gear. "So these things are programmed to gently take us down automatically, right?"

"Correct. Push the center button on the buckle to activate the automatic descent program. The left, right, up, and down buttons are placed around the central button. Only use those if we get fired upon. The elerium supply inside will run out after thirty seconds."

"And what if I'm not on the ground by then?" J asked warily.

"I get a replacement."

"You sure know how to make a man feel appreciated."

***

Isamu dropped his rifle as he clutched his head in pain. Ranma froze with indecision. He had no clue what was going on, but he knew Thanatos was doing something to the other guy. "Stop it, you'll kill him!"

"Doubtful," Teri replied. "He's a tough cracker. Come on Misa, it is time to go home."

"Finally! Will Isamu be okay?" Misa asked, reaching for Teri's hand.

Teri deftly moved her hand out of the way. "Yes he will be."

Misa accepted the answer and followed her sister as they moved towards Isamu. 

Thanatos was the last to approach the group. He forced Isamu to reach his hand out, and the others mimicked the action, instinctively leaving tiny gaps between their hands.

Thanatos slipped one glove off, exposing withered, nearly fleshless hands.

Through this act, we will be reborn! 

Isamu tried one last time to fight it, but Thanatos slammed his hand down atop the stack. The night turned bright for the third time that night.

***

the X-com unit was unprepared for the flash. While the robotic tank units had no problem compensating for the light, the humans became disoriented. Subconsciously, they switched their manual descent over to automatic. Most of the spots in their eyes vanished by the time they hit the ground. 

"What just happened?" the squad leader radioed to the Avenger.

"I don't know," the pilot replied. "Check the FLIR."

"Will do." A moment of silence as the gunner surveyed the scene. "There is one person down. Three others are missing. I can't see them anywhere on the scopes."

"This is not good," commented the pilot.

"I agree," the squad leader responded. "Okay. Day, Zander, Gunkel, and tank one! Take right flank in a two up, two down. Tank one's in the air. Scharav, Andianov, Kajima, and tank three: take left flank. Two up, two down, with the tank in the air. Sadier and tank two: stay behind and get into sniper positions. Shoot only the Ethereal. Everyone else: follow me up the gut. I have point!"

***

Ranma tried to rub the spots from his eyes. "What was that?" he asked the people he thought were still standing in front of him. When he could finally see again, he finally noticed that Thanatos and the rest were gone. A person he had never seen before lay unconscious on the pavement. "Where'd everybody go? And where did this guy come from?" Ranma eventually took note of another item. "And why is this guy naked?" I hope this ain't some funky Jusenkyo deal! 

Ranma removed his shirt and draped it over the man. The crunch of boots on stone stole his attention. He had not noticed the X-com unit advancing until they were twenty feet away and surrounding the vehicles.

"Flash him."

***

Nabiki was the first to awake in the van. She sat up despite a pounding headache. She remembered now, and that was enough to distract her from the pain. She looked out the window and saw him laying there. She could recognize his face again. "I remember now, Narthoron. I can remember everything." A throat cleared itself, alerting her to another person in the vehicle. 

"No, you don't." The X-com squaddie proceeded to neuralize the newly awakened girl.

  
  


Author's notes:

Well, that does it for this chapter. The epilogue will follow shortly.

If you are wondering about stuff in this chapter, refer to the Men in Black movie, Ranma ½ manga, or the X-Com: UFO Defense video game. If you don't have the last item: buy it immediately! It is the best strategy game ever!

If I have mangled any series, changed things too much, or plain inserted false information, chalk it up to trying to make a better story or lack of knowledge about the series. It's not like my life is centered around these things. 

And yes, I know some of the story is incomplete - some parts in need of a rewrite (which will come some time in the future) - but I really needed to get this done and out. I was getting disgruntled at the time it was taking me to put my thoughts on paper. And the fact that they didn't come out as deep or accurate as I wanted. If I keep working on this chapter any longer, it won't see the light of day. And I hate incomplete fanfics more than I dislike putting unpolished fanfics online. I'd rather have the whole story, with a few rough parts, than a good story that never gets finished.

  
  


Words of wisdom: 

"I wish I was smarter when I was born. Then I could have said 'quote' as my first word. That way, just before I die, I could say 'unquote.'"

- Steven Wright, comedian 

Visit us at www.flamingwreckage.8m.com

And e-mail me at F22wannabe@aol.com. Be sure to put the fanfic title in the header, or else it will be deleted. I ain't riskin' viruses to please you people.

  
  



	6. Goodbye Everyone, Goodbye self.

Narthoron

  
  


Disclaimer: If I were to say nothing, would they be able to sue me? 

I must wonder: what if I really do own Ranma, yet not know about it? Could I then sell them on E-bay? Why am I still asking questions? I am beginning to act like you silly humans. 

Most disturbing...

  
  


Epilogue: Resurrecting an Ego

The lights in the room were bright, even with his sunglasses on. He stood beside a body in such a deep state of unconsciousness it could be termed dead. A machine similar to an EKG monitored the silver haired man's brain waves, allowing only key areas - the one responsible for respiration as an example - to receive the impulses necessary to keep the mind alive. Agent J confirmed this by placing his finger tips at the man's wrist, hardly feeling the pulse. It was sickening really. An alien machine so advanced it could maintain the most damaged body - designed to preserve life - being used to deny it.

"It's not right," Agent J whispered to the empty room.

It had been a short plane flight back to New York. The group who had accompanied the man to America were back in Japan, probably being neuralized, as were their friends and any one else who had known about their expedition. Here in New York, the M.I.B. had quarantined the man they had, at the time, thought was an Ethereal. Scientists and technicians were presently matching DNA samples with their archives and digging up all the information they had on telekinesis, telepathy, humans, and chi manipulation. Engineers were working over the gun they had retrieved from the motorcycle earlier that night.

At the time, it seemed wholly unremarkable; at most, it was a high-tech sub-machine gun. During the flight home, Squaddie Scharav had noticed the dual barrels of the weapon. The higher one was considerably thicker than the bottom, but it had a smaller caliber. The bottom barrel appeared to be a normal nine millimeter pistol, with a twenty round internal clip. They had yet to figure out how to open the second magazine or how to fire the top barrel. The prominent bulge behind the upper barrel lent credit to the idea that it was a dart gun - for silent and short range shots. With a weight of only eight pounds and sized to fit inside a briefcase, it was an impressive example of human technology.

None of this was on Agent J's mind. In the grand scheme of things, how a gun worked and what it fired could not have less importance. 

Before the agent lay a man, a human being. He was sworn to protect the Earth from alien threats. Preliminary DNA tests conclusively said this man was human. He was not an alien. But the M.I.B. was scared to death of him. If it was not an Ethereal who had controlled, manipulated, seduced those people, then it was this man. If it was not an Ethereal who had blocked and redirected those fusion ball blasts, then it was this man. What kind of man had the power to do that? Telekinesis and telepathy remained very weak abilities in even the greatest of Earth's 'official' sentient life form. Here lay the exception to the rule. Comatose to the point of all but death.

He didn't look so dangerous, lying in a bright white room and naked under a great white sheet, attached to several giant medical machines. He was human; granted, the most dangerous one in existence. No one knew what he wanted, and apparently no one knew where he came from. An unknown and dangerous being. But Agent J's mind kept coming back to the one most undeniable fact: he was human. The M.I.B. was here to protect humanity - all of it - no matter who they were, what they did, or where they did it. 

Shouldn't that protection extend to this man as well?

Agent J didn't know the answer. 

That disturbed him even more than the question.

***

Agent L watched her partner through the one way glass. She could plainly see the conflict on his mind. She had passed the crossroad he was at hours ago, trusting in the people upstairs to make the best decision. They solved planetary crises everyday. What was another man?

Nothing. A single man was nothing to them. How could it be when another six billion must be considered? The implication of that fact was two sided. The moralists would proclaim every life is precious, and the practical ones would say he was too great a threat. The moralists would cave in at that point. She knew that, without a doubt, the comatose man in the room in front of her was a dead man. In roughly an hour, the people upstairs would make it official; the meeting they were presently attending was a mere formality. 

The hard thing was going to be breaking it to J.

He was a moralist, a believer in innate goodness, an optimist, and he wore his emotions on his sleeves. He was not afraid of using the fists at the end of those sleeves either. Sighing in frustration and defeat, she walked into the other room.

***

Agent J did not turn to face the person entering the room behind him. By the footsteps he could tell it was his partner. In the length of time they had been together, nearing a year, they had learned almost everything about one another. She'll say something like 'it's time you took a break,' J thought. 

"Shouldn't you go get some sleep J? It's been a long day." He'll retort with, 'then why aren't you sleeping?'

"Why are you up then?"

"I just finished my report and I was wondering where you were. Don't worry, he won't be going anywhere," Agent L semi-joked as she motioned towards the table.

The room went quiet. A nervous quiet following an unsuccessful joke. A quiet generally reserved for the time between the question between "how's my (important person's name here) doing?" and the surgeon's answer. Agent J was the one who broke it.

"I'm not a moron you know," he grinned sardonically.

"Huh?" Agent L didn't understand where he was going.

"I know what's going on. Upstairs, I mean. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what they're decision is going to be. He utterly decimated our best troops. Ya know, I even checked up on that fusion ball thing? Damn impressive. Damn impressive." J paused to let it sink in. "And he dodged one and rerouted the other back towards the plane that fired it. I can understand why they are so scared. Hell, if he was awake right now, I'd be scared too. How the hell did he get so much power?" Agent J stared into his partners eyes. "If we let him go, it will be like letting a god of death loose on the world. And we can't risk that, can we? It is our duty to protect the world after all."

"I understand how you feel, and you just admitted that-"

Agent J cut her off. "But I can't help feeling that he isn't a threat. He has to be at least twenty years old. He's been walking our Earth for twenty years, and hasn't so much as tried to rob a bank. S%*t, he could probably rob Fort Knox if he wanted to. And yet, for all we know, he's never even jaywalked. If he was a threat, he would have acted long before now.

"And look at the people who came with him on his little 'trip.' I read the doctor's report from the psi-division over in Japan on that psi-reader thing. He never controlled a single one of them. Suggested? Swayed? Sure. But never did he possess any of them. If we were really disposable to him, he wouldn't have given a damn and fried their brains at the earliest convenient time."

"I understand what you are saying J. And I wish that we could turn our backs on the situation and let him walk out of here. I really and honestly do. But you admitted that the risk is too great." She paused for a minute, collecting her thoughts, trying to form an argument. "It's not like we have any say in the matter anyway," she whispered.

J heard her words, and it set him off. "And why not? Doesn't our word count for something? When I was N.Y.P.D., I expected the uppers to not listen to their people. I missed out on two promotions 'cause of my mouth. I didn't put up with that kind of bulls%*t there and don't expect me to start putting up with it here!"

"Look J, I..I..." Agent L stopped trying to say something. She didn't know what to say anyway. 

Agent J, who had turned away from his partner in an attempt to cool his anger, felt a pair of arms encircle his chest. He could feel L press into him as his anger evaporated into astonishment and confusion. They rarely touched one another. Despite their closeness as partners and friends, they maintained a certain...distance. In their line of work, it was a matter of necessity. Either one of them could be killed at any time. It was - literally - in the job description.

That did not mean there weren't times when they felt a more primal need for each other. A man and a woman can only go so far in a relationship with each other before it has to reach another level. And when total trust was another necessity between partners, it complicates matters to an exponential degree. 

To finally be embracing, or embraced in the case of Agent J, in such an intimate way - a simple hug to other people - was a momentous occasion. A sign of things to come, J hoped. He was ready for something more, and he had already made a commitment to protect this woman, as all partners vowed to protect theirs. 

***

Agent L didn't know why she did it. She had rationalized it in a hundred different ways. The only one that sounded genuine to herself was that she didn't want to see him angry. She wanted him to be the same cheerful and impetuous J she had always worked with. And for once, she couldn't talk the anger out of him. On the spur of the moment, she hugged him. She had no words for emotional support, so she offered it through physical support. And she had to admit, it felt good.

They were a team. Two pieces to a set. J was an instinct guided man, while L was a reason guided woman. For most of a year, they had faced off against aliens, humans, and each other on a few instances. They had grown to know each other, respect each other, and now... Maybe they were realizing they needed each other. During their time together, neither one had ever cried on the others shoulder. Only superficial expressions and brief glimpses of the inner-thoughts. 

Strange that a comatose man, one who could not actively instigate any confrontations or changes, had brought on such a life altering event like a hug.

"L?"

Agent L released her grip on J and backed away. "I'm sorry. I- I didn't know what to say, so I.. I don't like seeing you angry," she admitted. "I was worried for a moment there. I thought you were going to rip my head off," she tried to smile sarcastically, but her trembling face made it impossible. She had crossed a big line, and what J did next would determine the cost of crossing it.

"I...I wouldn't do that. I was only surprised. I mean, uh, it's the man's job to make the first move, ain't it?"

"It's okay to break tradition," L smiled happily. "I mean, we would make a rather unconventional couple."

J smiled back at her. "Do you think I care? Not like I can take you home to mom and dad anyway."

"Same here. We'll have to set up some rules though. I...I'm not sure how far I'm ready to go, given our situation."

"Yeah, I know. You do know I'll do everything I can to stop them."

"I know J, but before you go putting holes in people, we need to try diplomacy. Assuming you want to keep your day job?"

"Alright, we'll play it your way." Agent J spared on last look at the man on the bed. "A man's got to die, but he don't need to die like this." 

Agent L adjusted her sunglasses. "No matter what happens, let's get a drink at some bar tonight, okay? I know I'm gonna need one."

As they walked out of the room, Agent J turned to L. "I didn't know you drink."

"There are many things about me I'm sure you'll be pleased to discover."

"And innuendo too! Damn, I found me a total package!"

***

"We can't give up this chance! Imagine all we could learn by examining this specimen!" the red alien proclaimed loudly to the other council members. 

"I agree," the blue creature across the table said. "The capabilities this...quasi-human has shown must be explained, lest some more.. skittish society take it upon themselves to rid the galaxy of a race that could produce such a powerful being."

"I can't allow you to take the 'specimen' as you put it," Zed declared, finally entering into the discussion. "That would violate half of section four of our treaty. He will stay on Earth, no matter what our decision is."

"There is no reason why we cannot perform these examinations on your planet," the red one agreed.

The door behind Zed exploded off its hinges.

"We could have knocked," L scolded J, who presently was putting away his Noisy Cricket.

Alarms around the base started sounding, emergency blast doors were sliding into place, and general pandemonium seized the customs checkpoints. 

"Turn off the alarms," Zed told the Twins through his communicator. "It seems I must speak to a couple of my agents," he informed the council. "I will return in twenty minutes."

"I suggest a brief recess for the rest of us as well," the stereotypical green alien seconded. One by one, the holo-displays in the room flickered out.

"You two, in my office," Zed barked.

***

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?! Busting in on a council meeting with a blaster! I could have you thrown out for this!"

"My partner and I have concerns about the council's ideas regarding-"

"Agent L, I know exactly why you're here. I had hoped you would be able to....contain...your partner. Seems I was wrong. And in any case, I don't give a flying leap what you two think about this. We have priorities people!"

"Look, Zed, nobody deserves this. He hasn't done anything wrong."

"That might not be the case," Zed sighed. "Our people in Japan have been doing some digging, searching for any connection between the man downstairs and all of the last weeks events. We've found some disturbing items." Zed pulled a stack of papers out of the top drawer of his desk, and handed half the pile to each agent. He allowed them to read for a moment.

"All the stuff in this folder is obituaries," J stated.

"'Project Firebird'?" Agent L asked. "Sounds like a special forces operation."

"It was, in a sense. The project Firebird was a ultra-black research and development effort in Japan, with support from the C.I.A. We only discovered its existence a month ago. It has been deactivated for over six years. The security on this project was better than the Manhattan Project. In J's folder, is the obituary for every person involved in the project. All seventy of them. The guy who was assassinated last night was the final member. 

"The whole project centered around a family near Hiroshima. The Watanabe Clan. Some twenty years ago, the Japanese and U.S. government started serious research into telekinesis and telepathy, for use in military operations. Intelligence gathering, assassination, anything covert. The Watanabe's were known for these traits. So, when the Watanabe's had a child, they accepted the offer of help raising the child."

"Why would they need help?" J asked.

"Telekinesis is not a gift easily received. It is omnipresent, affecting every action, whether awake or asleep. Complete control is necessary at all times. All alien races with telekinetic powers has these controls genetically inherited. Humans do not. Most humans with telekinesis die in infancy, if not before. Their brains can't control it. 

"The Watanabe child was different; a fluke. He had nominal control of his powers. He became the test bed for everything in Project Firebird, which was named after him. His real name is Narthoron Watanabe. The 'Fire Eagle,' it's taken from a Tolkien language. 

"The project continued until he was around twelve. Using experimental techniques, they increased his already phenomenal powers. We cannot confirm it, but prenatal genetic manipulation may have been involved; a lot of the records were destroyed. The researchers were able to design psi-implants, psi-scramblers, and tests to determine psi-potential.

"Unfortunately, they did not limit themselves to these activities. At the age of five, Narthoron was at a fifteen year old's cognizance, and starting his 'day job.'"

"Day job?" L repeated.

"The Watanabe clan has long been a secret guard of sorts for the Emperor of Japan. Ninja style protection, espionage, and assassinations for which their inherited powers came in handy. Narthoron continued the fine family tradition," Zed grinned wryly.

"They were using a five year old to assassinate people?" J could barely comprehend the idea.

"Yes. Narthoron could manipulate light waves to appear as different people, and could kill a man by blocking blood flowing to the brain, restricting a ventricle of the heart, et cetera, et cetera. Anybody he killed died of 'natural' causes. The perfect assassin."

"Wonderful childhood," J muttered.

"Around the age of twelve, the political climate had shifted, and assassination were no longer in 'vogue.' So, rather than risk having such a powerful element in their midst, the project leaders decided to close the project - and the Watanabe clan. Apparently, they lost three squads of Special forces personnel just taking out the parents, the only living members of the clan besides their son.

"However, Narthoron was not there at the time. A mis-communication between the intelligence personnel and the division heads. He disappeared for a few years, only to turn up in Tokyo in 1994. If our guess is not mistaken."

"Guess?" L asked, an eyebrow arched. The M.I.B. rarely guessed anything.

"Yes, guess. In April of '94, the Ethereals launched an assault on Tokyo, the Nerima ward specifically. At some point in the conflict, two squaddies from the X-com forces dispatched noticed a man walking calmly down the street with a girl. Before they could remove them from the quarantine area, the man and girl were attacked by a boy."

"What is so special about that?"

"He was flying towards the two. So the squaddies fired at the boy, thinking he was possessed by an Ethereal."

"Wait a second," L interrupted, "I thought Ethereals couldn't transfer their powers."

"We still believe that to be true," Zed responded. "But the situation appeared that way. They fired twelve rounds before scoring a hit."

"Needed more target practice it seems," J noted.

"Actually, they were the top sharpshooters in the squad. Remember what this kid did to those fusion balls. Anyway, the squaddies approached the boy, as did the girl. That is when the man pulled out a gun and opened fire on all three of them. Apparently, that was the point when everyone was knocked unconscious."

"By what?" L asked.

"A psychic pulse. The man was dead and the boy was gone when they woke up. The girl was neuralized after being identified as one Nabiki Tendo, whom I'm sure you all remember. Luckily for us, the kid left a blood trail. That's how they tracked him down to a small clinic in the Nerima ward, a Doctor Tofu, owner and proprietor. And an M.I.B. approved resident alien with a class four license."

"Class four?" J asked. He didn't have a clue what that meant.

"Class four means he is a part-time M.I.B. operative, in charge of acclimation of new arrivals. Plus, he is the sector physician," L supplied.

"And it also means he maintains the right to shelter any beings that request his help. It's a clause we had to agree to in our treaty," Zed sighed. "He said he had cremated the body, but we could never confirm that. Unknowing of what we had stumbled upon, we closed the case.

"The following destruction of the Mother Brain on Mars removed any impetus to delve further into the matter," L concluded. 

"But why did this Dr. Tofu lie to us?"

"I don't know," Zed replied. "We have identified the man downstairs as Narthoron Watanabe through DNA tests. It is up to the council to decide what to do with him."

"What are the options being considered?" L asked quietly.

"First, and most unlikely, is we let him walk out of here - figuratively speaking. Second, we implant electrical limiters into his brain that keep the areas associated with telekinesis from gaining enough power to move more than a pencil. There is a cost for that though. Since telekinesis involves the entire brain, his mental capacities would be a notch or two below Forrest Gump."

"That's cruel," J stated. "That's worse than killing him."

"That is also an option. The council favors using him as a guinea pig, to see if humanity's evolution is truly heading in his direction. They don't care what state he'll be in once they are done. They only want to satisfy their desire to prove their continued superiority."

"Is there anything we can do to sway them?" Agent J asked.

"No. I won't be able to rally any support to let him go. One or two might vote for the implants. Three or four will vote for execution. Most of the twenty one members will vote for studying him, followed by extermination. I will have little say in the matter," Zed sighed. Not that I really know what to do either. 

J sat in thought. He slipped his sunglasses on as he smiled. "Get the council to vote for extermination as soon as possible."

Zed and L were shocked. "But why?" 

"Let me and L handle the rest. Come on L, we have to call in some favors."

***

"We all set?" Agent J asked his partner.

"We're waiting on Zed's call. He'll tell us if he was able to change the vote. I have to admit, this is the most brazen plan you've ever come up with."

"I have my moments," J replied. 

L's communicator buzzed. "Agent L. What's the word? Excellent. Thanks Zed. No, it'd be best if you stayed in the dark on this one. Wouldn't want you to lose your job, would we?"

As Agent L conversed with Zed, Agent J was talking to a technician upstairs. "Cut all security in SL-27, room fifteen." Once he received confirmation, he motioned to L. "Let's roll."

***

It had taken awhile to leave the M.I.B. headquarters, since they needed the technician to cut the security as they moved. Now, Agent L and J were traveling in a black Suburban, a slowly waking Narthoron in the backseat. Their destination was J.F.K. airport. 

"He awake yet?"

Agent L sighed. Agent J was continuing to display his impatience; he had asked her that five minutes ago. "It will take some time yet. His brain hasn't been operating normally for almost a day. It takes time to recuperate." Agent L returned to her job of dressing Narthoron.

"Watch were you put your hands, I'm already gettin' jealous."

"I'm watching were I'm putting my hands very closely, thank you very much."

"That's what I mean," Agent J grumbled. 

Narthoron's breathing pattern changed with a snort. A minute ago, he was breathing with the regularity of any sleeper. Now his breaths were the forced exhales of concerted effort and concentration. He leaned his head back and reluctantly opened his eyes. 

"He's awake," L informed J.

"What happened?" Narthoron asked groggily.

"We were hoping you could tell us," Agent L responded.

***

"As you can see, members of the council, the body is being cremated as we speak," Zed pointed to the holo-display beside him.

"What a waste," the blue alien stated.

"He was a threat to the stability of the galaxy. It is best that he be ridden of. Although I do regret not getting the opportunity to study him," the red alien said.

I wonder what those two did? Zed thought. Wait, I bet... "And so, I believe this meeting is adjourned?" A murmur of agreement came from the holograms. "Then I will speak to you all next month." 

Zed waited for all the displays to fade before quickly walking back to his office. He needed to check something. A few quick taps on his computer brought up the inventory list. He scrolled down to the 'C' section. "Exactly as I thought." A few more keys and the inventory was altered so the depletion of resources would never be found. "Making a quick clone. Just enough time to develop the outer shell without any internal organs. I hope they thought out the rest of their plan as thoroughly."

***

"Thanks for stopping for the food. I'm famished," Narthoron downed the roast beef sub quickly.

"No problem man. So, you gonna tell us what happen in Nevada?"

"It is complicated. I can only describe it as the ultimate mental breakdown. Yeah, that sounds about right." He took a deep chug of some Sobe.

"We don't need to get to the airport for another three hours," L told him. "We took the liberty of ordering you some tickets to Tokyo."

"Why? I could fly there myself, if you know what I mean."

"If the M.I.B. spotted any serious telekinetic energy this soon after their discovery of you, then we'd be sent to hunt you down again. And once we caught you, we'd be in even deeper for the little espionage we just pulled," J declared.

"Telekinesis is not the only way to fly. I could use my chi."

"Chi?"

"A person's life force. Most telekinesists have more chi than normal humans, although they can't use it. It is easier to use than telekinesis, but it is harder to find. That's why so few people really know how to use it."

"Whatever man, this is all beyond me."

Agent L asked Narthoron to elaborate. 

"Okay. First, let's outline the different abilities a human might have. Most have none beyond what is considered normal. Some have low level chi control, allowing them to jump higher, run farther, that kind of thing. Others have low level telekinesis or telepathy, enough to talk to a person's mind as long as they are in physical contact or move a spoon. A rare few have high level chi control, to the point they can throw energy blasts and fly. Telekinesists, as a rule, never achieve that amount of skill. Bear in mind, to have chi control does not mean you have telekinesis or telepathy, or vice versa. Of course, I am the exception to every rule in the book. 

"Thanks to some minor genetic engineering, advanced meditation techniques, mental and physical exercises, I can use my telekinesis to fly, move objects, or even pull energy out of the air. Thanks to teachings from ancient scrolls and master fighters, I can also use my chi to fly, fire energy blasts, and heal injuries. So, while my DNA is human, I have really advanced to the next level - homo superior."

"That's all well and good, but that doesn't explain anything," said L.

"I'm getting there. Once I had reached the point where controlling my powers was instinct instead of an act of concentration, I was put into service. It was simple to disguise myself and infiltrate and so forth. I did a lot of things that I care not to remember. Naturally, I was ecstatic when they closed the program. I had heard about some advanced chi techniques in a village in China so I left immediately to learn them.

"When I returned home, some one had dug two new graves in our backyard.

"I didn't stay around. I didn't know what to do, so I wandered Asia. I eventually decided to get revenge. It wasn't an easy decision. I'm not a violent person by nature. I'm not allowed to be."

"What do you mean?"

Narthoron smiled. "Emotions are the bane of telekinesis. It clogs the mind, confuses the thought process. If I lose control, possibly for even less than a second, anything could happen. So most of my training was to remove the strongest emotions from my personality. With the amount of power I have, it is a wonder I can even take time to talk."

"This is still getting us nowhere."

Narthoron didn't give L's gripe any notice. "I allowed myself to cut loose once. I was in that Chinese village when I met a girl. One thing led to another, and I let my hormones take over for once. She's the white haired one from the trip."

"You gonna reunite with her?" J asked conspiratorially.

"No. She'd be better off without me. I've picked up from you two that she won't remember anything from the last week. Life with me would be too much for her. I'll never be able to give her the attention a woman like her would need."

"That's too bad man. She's a nice catch."

"Watch what you are saying, J," L scolded.

"Back to the subject," Narthoron picked up, thus averting a pointless lover's quarrel, "I returned to Japan, and tracked down one of the scientists from the project. He was working at Furinkan high school for some odd reason. Then a tracker - a Special forces guy with a psi-implant - got involved. It ended in a bloody mess. 

"You see, I had unintentionally attracted the attention of another girl. The people from the project somehow caught on and used her to draw me out. Then I got involved with some aliens and was shot by some men in strange armor. Too much multitasking and for too long; even I can't deflect bullets forever. 

"I was so angry and the pain was more than I ever experienced. I let go - let my anger explode. I can't tell if it was my chi or a random act of telekinesis or both, but I knocked everyone unconscious and killed the tracker. I fled. I had met this doctor a few days before, and I needed someone to patch me up.

"It turned out there was a second tracker. I was nearly unconscious from the drugs the doctor had given me when he walked in. The man I killed in Nevada. I tried to put up a defense, but he had men stationed at the places I frequented, ready to take people out. So I let him kill me."

"Kill you? You're the most vital dead man I've ever seen then, and I used to be a coroner," L replied in disbelief.

"Death is a subjective term. Modern science links death to the ceasing of the brain and heart. Ancient medicine deals with the death of the aura or spirit. To die, the spirit must leave the body and the body must stop all electrical flow. So I did just that. I separated my aura and let my body die.

"Unfortunately, my mind could not take the stress. By the time I rejoined my body, roughly a day later, it was splitting into four entities, the four I used to describe my various espionage activities. First was Teri. I camouflaged myself as a female, smart and wily, strong yet feminine build, and subtly worked my way into the target. Her counterpart was Isamu, a brute force, black-and-white kind of man. He was highly opinionated and followed his honor and orders. That was the only way I could follow through with my 'jobs' as you could call them. I honestly don't like fighting. I don't want to hurt people. I want to be normal. I wish I could be Joe Blow and live life by the seat of my pants. 

"The third entity was Thanatos, my reasoning and intellect. The decisions on how things would be done and when, contemplating new ways to do things, that sort of thing was his forte. He's cold and calculating, but devoid of emotion. Like a Vulcan from Star Trek. Finally, was the person I wish I could be, Misa. She was happy and carefree, sympathetic and spirited. She merely did her thing and was happy. She was born that night in China. 

"Because my 'powers'," Narthoron laughed darkly, "were so strong, I somehow created a body for each of them. And somehow they split up. I can't remember much from that time. It doesn't make sense to me. I should never have fractured like that. I don't know how to explain it."

"That's okay. It's over now anyway," L said. "However, things have changed. You'll need to take up a new identity. We have already set one up for you in Japan, as Hito Narthoron Akuru.(1) It's the best we could think of at the time." She handed him a wallet with a picture I.D., cash, and a passport. 

"I see it says the right thing when you put it in the proper order. 'Next man Narthoron,' indeed," he huffed. "Dead give away. I like it though."

"You will also be getting a second I.D. This is an M.I.B. license, class five. You are now a diplomat from the fifth quadrant of the galaxy."

"Where is the fifth quadrant?"

"The Sol system. Earth specifically. We have plenty of diplomats already, so we've swept you under the carpet. The license does include a tracker, so we can tell when it is you stirring up trouble. If you encounter any M.I.B., all you need to do is show them your license and they'll leave you alone."

"That will be handy. Anything else I need to know?"

"Not that I can think of," L replied.

"Keep out of trouble," J supplied.

"I will try," Narthoron nodded. He yawned. "I could use some rest."

"We won't be at the airport for another thirty minutes. You have plenty of time for a nap," J informed.

"You didn't learn a thing, did you? I hate it when I waste my breath."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"To maintain control over my telekinesis, I must be cognizant at all times. If I were to ever fall asleep, any random thought could be carried out in the real world. That is why my first lessons were on meditation, and why my childhood was so amazing. Nothing bad ever happened when I was an infant. The chances of that were astronomical. So you see, I can't sleep, for fear of the damage I could cause."

"You can't dream?"

"No J, I cannot. There are many things that you can do that I cannot. But let's not dwell on that. I have a long plane flight ahead of me."

***

"Here's a change of clothes as well," L handed the man a black suitcase. "Dr. Tofu will meet you at Tokyo airport."

"Tofu? Why?"

"Nostalgia, I presume. You have been dead for awhile." She and Agent J walked him to the check-in counter. "We've risked a lot on you, so don't do anything stupid."

"I know, telepathy, remember? I'll probably end up wandering again." He looked the two agents over. "Call me if you need my help. Or if you two decide to get hitched."

"Hey! We aren't thinkin' that far ahead yet!" J declared quickly. A touch too quickly for L's taste, and she reprimanded him with a light elbow to the gut.

Narthoron grinned lightly. "I'm only yanking your chain. You two are putting out so many waves of doubt I can hardly sense anyone else in the airport. All the electricity here is not helping matters either."

"That's it! I knew there was something more I wanted to ask you," L exclaimed. "How does it work? The telekinesis and telepathy?"

"I don't know. Why is the grass green and not orange? Because it is. No other reason. Just because I have something unique, does not mean I understand it. Like how everyone owns a car, but only a few of them know how to fix them."

"You aren't very helpful in expanding the horizons of science," L pouted, ever so slightly mind you.

"I've done my time under the microscope." The boarding call for his flight crackled over the intercom. "I must be going. Thank you once again."

A pair of handshakes and goodbyes and Narthoron was flying across the world to return to his homeland. A place where a group of intrepid traveling teenagers were trying to figure out why they felt a week behind the rest of the world.

***

"Must you really be going?" Cologne asked. It seemed as if Mir-Aur had only been there a day, yet a week had passed by.

"Yes, I must. Dr. Diggers is expecting me in Atlanta. And since I couldn't find my husband, I'm afraid I must also move on."

Cologne nodded sadly. "Then be off! I have no use for sad goodbyes. But, be careful nonetheless child."

"I will, Elder. Good luck with Shampoo." Mir-Aur left Nerima by way of United Airlines flight 453 and ventured to the realm of Jade, where she continued her tutelage under Dr. Theodore Diggers. 

***

"I can't believe this! How could all of that happen without me knowing?" Nabiki demanded an explanation from the person on the other end of the phone. "No...No...don't worry about it. I'm sure it's got something to do with Ranma. Set up a meeting for tonight at seven, usual place. And have everyone bring everything they have for the past week." Nabiki calmly hung up the phone and returned to her computer. "Why can't I remember anything?"

***

Dr. Tofu waited outside customs for the arrival of a boy he knew to be dead. He had checked the body himself. 

He had never forgiven himself for that failure, or the subsequent events.

Now, he had a chance to atone for them. 

It was hard to contain his anxiety as he stood in a sea of humanity and waited. What would the boy, now a man, think of him? Would Narthoron condemn the man who could not protect him in his greatest hour of need?

A man with silver hair flowing down his back exited the customs counter, hefting a small suitcase off the scanning machine. The hair caught Tofu's attention. Rarely does a man have silver hair that is truly silver in color, let alone a full head of it. The man walked up to Tofu.

"Greetings, Dr. Tofu."

"It can't be!" Tofu exclaimed. "What happened to your hair?"

"Life is fraught with peril," Narthoron informed the good doctor.

"I thought you were dead! Then I received this call from the M.I.B. and they told me you were coming home. I thought they were crazy!"

"No, they weren't. And yes, I forgive you."

"What?"

"I am slightly telepathic. I can read the strongest thoughts on a person's mind without too much trouble. And I forgive you. There was nothing more that you could have been done. Hell, keeping me out of the M.I.B.'s hands was incredible enough. What you did was in the best interest of everybody involved. Let's leave it at that."

"I can't. It is a doctor's duty to protect the life of his patients. And I didn't do that!"

"Remember that I asked you to do it. Never mind the circumstances; you did the wish of your patient and saved the lives of others. No one can fault a man for that. You did the best you could. I fully expected to die there anyway."

"I should have at least kept your body. But I just let them waltz out with it...with you." Tofu sighed heavily. "I could have done so much more."

"You did enough. I have friends in many places, and this was a planned contingency. Sort of. I would hope you'd be happy I was alive and leave it at that."

"I wish I could, Narthoron. I've felt so guilty for so long-"

"Enough. We'll talk of this no longer," Narthoron commanded. "Let the dead be buried. And all my friends call me Nate." Narthoron maneuvered Tofu towards the exit. "So tell me, how goes it with Kasumi? You must be married by now, right?"

Tofu could only grin sheepishly.

*** 

Tofu and Nate rode the subway, Tofu being prodded into recollecting every event that had happened in Nerima since a dreary night the two of them wished to forget. "And then Ranma and most of the others went to China to rescue Shampoo. I hear Ranma killed a phoenix demi-god with his bare hands. And that sums up the Nerima experience. Now it's your turn to tell me your story."

"In ninety-four, I died. I spent the next few years as four separate yet interwoven entities, only to be reunited two days ago. And that's about it." Narthoron paused in thought for a moment. "Damn it."

"What?"

"All this electricity is making it hard to pinpoint Ranma's location. I can sense his general area, but I can't make contact with him."

"Why do you need to talk to Ranma?" Tofu asked.

"He's like me, only he doesn't know it yet." 

***

Ranma and Akane walked quietly towards their school. They were silent not because they were mad at one another, but because it served as an early warning device. It was much easier to detect the whir of bicycle wheels when you are not engaged in a shouting match with the person next to you.

"Nihao, Ranma!" Shampoo enthused to the lad underneath her tires.

So it didn't always work. You can't blame our duo for trying.

Ranma! 

"Huh?" Ranma whipped his head around looking for the voice. Unfortunately, this allowed Shampoo to capitalize on his lowered defenses.

Ranma! We need to talk! Meet us at the train station!

"What?"

Akane seethed in anger. Ranma was not stopping Shampoo from rubbing herself all over himself. I bet he's enjoying it! That pervert! From the depths of what many consider subspace, she pulled mallet number ten. Mallet number ten was crafted out of nice and heavy Iron wood and had an enlarged sweet spot for optimal cranial impact. "Ranma!" The wind up... "You!" The pitch... "Pervert!" A solid hit...it could go-...HOME RUN!

***

"Ow!" Nate rubbed the left side of his skull.

"What happened?"

"Negative feedback. I never realized how powerful the youngest Tendo is. For a 'One A' anyway."

"One A?" Tofu questioned.

"It's a designation for telekinetic power levels and/or chi development. 'One C' is the lowest, normal human. 'One A' is the highest most ever get. 'Two A' is considered a minor threat, 'Three A' means a medium one, 'Four A' represents a major, and 'Five A' is nuclear equivalent."

"What level are you at?"

"Five A," Nate replied, "C on a bad day. How about that? Ranma landed at the station."

"How can you tell?"

"He uses a lot of chi to absorb the impact from the landing. He has much to learn."

"So you are going to teach him?" 

"No Tofu. Exactly the opposite."

"Why?"

"I'll explain it to you both later."

***

"Damn tomboy! Can't even have a voice in my head without her pounding me! Who would want to meet me at the train station anyway? This better not be another fiancé. Especially since that was a guy's voice." Ranma took stock of where he was. "Nerima train station. What are the chances of that? Guess I wait for now." Ranma found a comfortable bench outside the entrance and waited for whoever had told him to meet him there.

"Hello Ranma. It's been awhile."

"Dr. Tofu? What are you doing here?"

"I'm welcoming an old friend to the area. Ranma, meet Narthoron."

"Nar-what?"

"Narthoron," Nate repeated. "You can call me Nate. I've heard much about you, Ranma."

"Can't say the same. You movin' ta Nerima or sumthin?"

"Maybe. I actually came here to talk to you."

"If this is anythin' about marrying me, don't bother. I don't swing that way."

"Nothing could be further from my mind. Besides, we have more important things to talk about. Come, we should go to Tofu's, where we can get some privacy."

***

"Ranma, you are different from everyone else," Nate stated.

"Duh. I knew that one."

"Do you understand why?"

"Sure. I can do a lot of things no one else can."

"And do you know why that is?" 

"Lots of training?" Ranma offered.

"That is one facet of it. But it is not the entire diamond. From conception Ranma, you have had skills and powers normal humans could never dream of having. The fact that you survived childhood is a testament to how rare a person like you is. With some training, you could become as much as a Four A."

"Four A?"

"A major threat to nation security and international stability."

"Oh. So what?"

"Ranma, you have admirable control over your chi, and you are getting better all the time. What makes you a Three C instead of a Four A is that you also have relatively untapped telekinetic and telepathic powers."

"Tele-whosis?"

"Tel-e-kin-e-sis, the power to move things with the mind," Nate explained. "And that is why I came here. You are fortunate that your powers are still asleep. If you were to ever develop them, your life would no longer be your own. Telekinetic powers bring with them a heavy responsibility, one I don't want you to bear."

"I still don't get what you are talking about," Ranma sighed, "Or know what you're gettin' at. I don't have any telekinetic powers or nothin'. I'm sure I would have noticed before know if I did."

"That is my point, Ranma. You are still latent. And if a person is still latent at your point in life, then they stay latent. However, you are the type of person who is continually pushing themselves, and one day you are going to unwittingly try to develop them and you'll suffer immeasurably for it. I want you to promise me that you won't use your powers!"

"What powers?! I can't do none o' the stuff you say I can! You are obviously mistaken!" Ranma figured this would be a good time to leave.

"Stop," Narthoron commanded. Ranma did not stop, nor did he acknowledge Narthoron's actually speaking. "Don't make me stop you."

"I sick of you tryin' ta tell me what to do! You're just like everyone else I know, and you're just as wrong!" Ranma turned and stomped furiously towards the door. When three steps did not get him any closer to the door, he tried to find a reason. At the back of his mind, he could feel why.

"I know you can feel it, Ranma. It's so much like chi, isn't it? They're difficult to distinguish, but just enough different that you can tell. This is the power I am talking to you about. The power to shape the world to your will. I can hear your mind scrambling to find a way to counteract my power." Narthoron let the boy drop from the air, where he had held him. "I will let you go because if I let you feel the power any longer, you might awaken your own." Narthoron sighed as Ranma walked out.

"Forcing Ranma only makes him fight back harder," Tofu told him.

"So it seems, so it seems." A moment of silent thought. "He will not listen to my advice," he stated. "He will develop himself to the fullest potential. Foolish boy! He does not know what it will cost him."

"What will it cost him?" Tofu asked.

"Everything. Every-damn-thing! Just like me."

***

Ranma blitzed his way through another kata. He was confused, and he thought best during a battle. The katas were his way of focusing, minus the bruises. The power Narthoron had displayed was beyond him. He simply willed for Ranma to go nowhere, and it happened. And Ranma could feel the barest glimmer of that same power in himself. Imagine what he could do if he had the same power. To will himself to jump higher, to will attackers to stop, to will his attacks to be stronger! 

But what of the warnings by that same man? "You'll suffer immeasurably," he said. What did he mean? He seemed to be doin' okay. Does he fear I could rival him in power? 

"Ranma!"

Ranma stopped mid-kick. "Huh?"

Akane huffed angrily. "I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes!"

"So whatta ya need?"

"Dinner's ready."

"Crap! We better hurry before Pops gets it all." Ranma fairly flew from the room.

"I wonder what had him all worked up," Akane asked the dojo.

***

Narthoron walked into Tofu's room before sunrise. The doctor was still asleep. Narthoron watched with envy as the other man's chest rose and fell steadily. To dream, that was all he wanted. Just once. To dream meant one was normal, that your mind was normal, that your thoughts were free. Free. Such a simple word. But to Narthoron, it was another four letter word - a curse and nothing more. Freedom itself was a dream, and he could never allow himself to dream. 

He tapped Tofu's mind telepathically, to try and see what he himself could not have. Narthoron abruptly left the dream when he realized how...focused...the man was on a certain Tendo. "That was interesting," he noted dumbly. He left the room as quietly as he had entered, thinking - just this once - that maybe he wasn't so bad off.

***

Ranma had awoke before dawn today. He needed some quiet time to practice. No rivals, no fiancés, and no parents. Only him and a bucket of water.

He sat crossed-legged in the middle of the dojo, wondering where he should start. Five minutes of staring at the bucket later and nothing had happened. He tried concentrating on the motion of throwing a bucket of water. Nothing. Ranma spent the rest of the morning trying - and failing - to do a bloody thing to the bucket.

***

Tofu walked into the kitchen in mid-yawn. He was halfway done pouring himself a glass of orange juice when he noticed Nate sitting outside, meditating in Tofu's small herb garden. Tofu himself went out there and did the same on the more stressful days, enjoying the invigorating scent the vegetation seemed to constantly produce. Tofu set about making breakfast for the two of them.

He was nearly done when he finally spotted Nate's note. "Meditating. Do not disturb unless world is ending," Tofu read. "Guess I'll save his portion for later."

***

"Aaargh! I can't do it!" 

"What's wrong Ranma?" Akane asked. She had been watching him from just inside the dojo door for several minutes now.

Ranma was clearly startled by her and nearly wiped out the bucket in his rush to assume a defensive position. Once he saw it was only Akane, he let his guard down. "Well, you see...um..."

"Yes?" Akane quirked her eyebrow, beckoning him to spit it out already.

"Have you ever been told you were special? That you could do things no one else can?"

"Not recently," Akane answered dumbly. She stopped herself from audibly answering that she wished Ranma would call her special.

"And, after you've been told you're special, have you not been able to do what they said you should be able to do?" Ranma finished in one breath.

"I- I can't say I have."

"Well, you see, that's-"

"Ranma! Prepare to die!" Ryoga shouted as he leapt into the dojo.

Akane watched as the bucket of water flung itself - by itself - straight and true towards Ryoga. "No," she whispered to herself in shock. "No, it can't be..." 

"Oink?"

She fainted.

Unlike most people, she fainted forwards, her subconscious reflexes managing to alter her face plant into a head-butt, smashing the little black piglet through the floorboards.

***

Narthoron's eyes flew open. A massive, unfocused blast of telekinetic power had disturbed his rejuvenating meditation. The mind needed time to cleanse itself, and when one cannot sleep, one must rely on ancient techniques. But that wasn't important right now. Ranma had succeeded in the worst possible way. Remembering L's advice on the use of telekinetic power, he focused his chi and launched himself towards the Tendo dojo.

***

"What happened?" Ranma asked. Akane lay in a puddle of water, her head half in the hole Ryoga made. "Akane? Are you okay?" Ranma kneeled down to pick her up, but he only needed to bend halfway, as she floated the rest of the way up. Some one landed roughly outside before entering the dojo. "Nate? What are you doing here?"

Nate cursed silently. "There is no easy way to say this. We must leave now Ranma."

"Why?"

"I felt what you did. You have awakened nature's greatest gift, and its most horrible curse. Your very mind is now your enemy. We must leave before you kill someone."

"Kill?" Ranma repeated. "How would I-"

"On the whim of a subconscious whisper, or the unconscious call of a silent desire. It matters not how, but it will happen, without proper training."

"But I can't leave! What about Akane?"

"You have no choice in the matter. If you stay, I can guarantee you will harm her - probably kill her. Given a decade or so, you might be able to return."

"A decade?"

Nate paused. "Yes...if you are lucky."

Ranma sighed as he looked at the unconscious girl. "There's no way ya can train me here?" He absently brushed a stray lock of her hair with his hand, only to realize he hadn't used either of his hands, which were presently carrying the girl. "I think I understand now. We'll have to let someone know what's goin' on." Ranma set Akane gently on the floor. "I won't be gone for no decade," he declared to himself, to Akane, and to Narthoron.

Nate nodded in silent agreement. Together, they walked out of the dojo.

"Where are we headed?"

"Someplace with few people. The mountains of Alaska are supposed to be pretty this time of the year. Grab your things and let us go. I will tell the others."

***

It took Ranma five minutes to pack. Akane had regained consciousness and was waiting with the rest of the Tendo household in the livingroom. 

"Why are you leaving?" she asked.

"I told you, he must because he is special. He has awakened hiss telepathic and telekinetic powers and poses a threat to everyone around him," Narthoron repeated. "He will come with me and train to control those powers."

"Then I'll go with you!"

"No, Akane," Ranma sighed. "I understand now how dangerous I've become. I can't let you come with me. I could never live with myself if I hurt you. Any of you."

"When will you return?" Kasumi asked.

"A decade, probably more," Narthoron answered. "It is hard to say. I do know that he will never be the same. It is the price we pay."

"'We pay?' So you have these powers as well," Nabiki stated. "What exactly is the price?"

"To live with nothing but the most superficial emotions. To never be allowed to let our thoughts wander, to never sleep or dream, to be robotic in mind and nature. To live in fear of distraction, and be unable to truly feel. Emotion and chaos are the killers of people such as us. We cannot afford to lust, to cry, to hurt, to love. None of these. We can smile, we can frown, but our minds must always be in control. We are the ultimate humans, yet we must lose our humanity to stay alive. That is the price. One I have paid, and one he is starting to."

"I don't believe you!" Akane yelled. 

"He's- he is right, Akane," Ranma mumbled. "When you were unconscious, I brushed a lock of your hair out of your face with my hand. But both of my hands were holding you up. Imagine if I had wanted to hit you? What would have happened then?"

"You can't leave! Not after everything that has happened!" Akane sobbed. 

Ranma unintentionally heard her thoughts. I can't live for ten years without you!

I won't be gone for ten years, Akane. I'll come back as soon as I can.

Akane stopped sobbing as she heard Ranma in her mind. "How?"

"He is rather strong in telepathy, more so than he is in telekinesis. Your thoughts were the strongest in the room, so it is rather obvious that he would pick those up easily." Narthoron stood and bowed to those assembled. "We must leave."

"No! The houses must be-"

Genma and Soun found themselves embedded in the wall. A piece of exposed re-bar pulled itself out of the concrete and bent itself around them, locking them in place. 

"You risk much by foolishly trying to force the boy now. His thoughts are will, and his will is action. If he so desired, he could kill you. Count yourselves fortunate that he has vowed to learn and to return."

"This is goodbye then." Ranma bowed to the group. "Thanks for everything. I- I'll be back as soon as possible." 

The Tendos quietly watched the man and boy leave. There was nothing more to say, there was nothing more to do. Life for them had changed as drastically as it had when a boy named Ranma had arrived. Whether he would ever return would depend on a man they had known for all of ten minutes. 

Most of them chose to look at it as an extended training trip, like the one Ranma had taken before ever arriving at the Tendo dojo. Only this time, Ranma was not on a trip to improve himself, he was on a trip because he was too good. An odd twist of fate for a boy who was known for odd twists of fate. 

And so Ranma left on a new training trip. The key point for all was that - as a trip - it meant he would someday return home. And for those that loved him, that was the important part.

  
  


The Tentative End

Author's notes:

Yes, this be the end. Nothing at all like I planned. I was going to have Ranma not awaken his powers and have Narthoron give a long explanation of the past, but I didn't. I just did not come out that way. 

This fic is a response to all those where some new ultra-powerful guy comes in and warps the Ranmaverse. First, there is really no power in the universe more powerful than telekinesis. What you think, what you will, is what happens. Try to top that. Oh no, he's shooting at me! Guess I'll turn the bullets around and aim them at him! 

However, there is always a downside to everything. I wanted to show that as well. 

Still, I'm kinda pissed it came out like this.

In my mind, I could have done much better. But this is what I did do, and I'll accept it as a noble first attempt.

I'll get better as I go along, now that I know what I'm doing. (HA!)

I hope this was entertaining, though I mostly hope it inspires a better writer than I to come up with a story to entertain me with his work.

I would have had this out sooner, but Sept. 11 and college have put a damper on my creativity.

I have three planned fics in the works. Artificial life forms and Tiphare's Half Angel are on the top of the list, but I plan to put up a rough draft of my self-insert soon. 

As for the one official place I marked: I used a small japanese to english (and vice-versa) to find these words, then used the commonly known Japanese custom of putting the family name first to come up with the name. If it is wrong, I apologize. But it's not my fault if it is. (HA!)

So, thanks for reading this, and if you have any comments/constructive criticism/suggestions for a future rewrite (distant future) send them to me at:

F22wannabe@aol.com And visit my site at www.flamingwreckage.8m.com 

(We created it many months before 9/11/01, so please don't take offense at the name.)

  
  


Quote of the fic:

"If life gets overwhelming, write everything you feel, think, desire, and wonder into a diary/journal. If this doesn't help, your family will still get rich after it is posthumously published."

- Me 

  
  



End file.
